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Aims Bariatric surgeries induce profound weight loss (decrease in body mass index, BMI), through a decrease in fat mass (FM) and to a much lesser degree of fat-free mass (FFM). Some reports indicate that the weight which is lost after gastric bypass (RYGB) and sleeve gastrectomy (SG) is at least partially regained 2 years after surgery. Here we compare changes in BMI and body composition induced by four bariatric procedures in a 5 years follow-up study. Methods We analyzed retrospectively modifications in BMI, FM and FFM obtained through Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), sleeve gastrectomy (SG), biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) and a long common limb revisional biliopancreatic diversion (reduction of the gastric pouch and long common limb; BPD + LCL−R). Patients were evaluated at baseline and yearly for 5 years. Of the whole cohort of 565 patients, a subset of 180 patients had all yearly evaluations, while the remaining had incomplete evaluations. Setting University Hospital. Results In a total of 180 patients evaluated yearly for 5 years, decrease in BMI and FM up to 2 years was more rapid with RYGB and SG than BPD and BPD + LCL−R; with RYGB and SG both BMI and FM slightly increased in the years 3–5. At 5 years, the differences were not significant. When analysing the differences between 2 and 5 years, BPD + LCL−R showed a somewhat greater effect on BMI and FM than RYGB, BPD and SG. Superimposable results were obtained when the whole cohort of 565 patients with incomplete evaluation was considered. Conclusions All surgeries were highly effective in reducing BMI and fat mass at around 2 years; with RYGB and SG both BMI and FM slightly increased in the years 3–5, while BPD and BPD + LCL−R showed a slight further decreases in the same time interval.

Background. Duodenal Switch (DS) is a procedure that combines a Sleeve-Forming Gastrectomy (SFG) plus a biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) for the treatment of morbid obesity (MO) with a higher weight loss and resolution of comorbidities. Objectives. Report our experience with 950 consecutive DS operations performed from 1994 to 2016. Setting. Mix of teaching and private institution in a county hospital of Spain. Methods. We report an observational, retrospective and longitudinal study of 950 consecutive morbidly obese patients treated by DS surgery. Results. We performed 518 open and 432 laparoscopic DS. Operative mortality was 0.84% (1.38% in DS and 0.38% in LDS), 4.84% had leaks, two had hepatic failures (0.2%) and malnutrition was present in 3.1%. At 5 years, the percentage of BMI lost was 80%, and percentage of expected BMI loss was more than 100%. Conclusions. DS is the most aggressive bariatric surgery (BS) technique, but with the best long-term weight loss. We describe operative complications and long-term follow-up guidelines.

Drug malabsorption is one of the potential troubles after bariatric surgery. Evidence for diminished levothyroxine (L-T4) absorption has been reported in patients after bariatric surgery.This study reports 17 cases of hypothyroid patients [who were well replaced with thyroxine tablets (for1 year) to euthyroid thyrotropin (TSH) levels before surgery (13 Roux-en-Y gastric bypasses (RYGB); 4 biliary pancreatic diversions (BPD))]. From 3 to 8 months after surgery, these patients had elevated TSH levels. Patients were then switched from oral tablets to a liquid L-T4 formulation (with the same dosage, 30 min before breakfast).Two-three months after the switch, TSH was significantly reduced both in patients treated with RYGB, as in those treated with BPD, while FT4 and FT3 levels were not significantly changed (RYGB group, TSH μIU/mL: 7.58 ± 3.07 vs 3.808 ± 1.83, P 0.001; BPD group, TSH μIU/mL: 8.82 ± 2.76 vs 3.12 ± 1.33, P 0.01).These results first show that liquid L-T4 could prevent the problem of malabsorption in patients with BPD and confirm those of previous studies in patients submitted to RYGB, suggesting that the L-T4 oral liquid formulation could circumvent malabsorption after bariatric surgery.