Outcomes of bariatric surgery in patients ≥65 years.

Abstract: Background: Although the Medicare Coverage Advisory Committee found that significant evidence supports the safety and effectiveness of bariatric surgery, few data are available on the outcomes of bariatric procedures in patients ≥65 years. The aim of this study was to report on contemporary outcomes of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) in patients ≥65 years. Methods: We reviewed prospectively collected data from all patients ≥65 years who underwent RYGB at two Florida university-based programs from 1999 to 2005. Similarly, the Florida Discharge Database was queried for patients ≥65 years who had undergone RYGB from 1999 to 2005. The data are presented as the mean ± SEM. Results: A total of 25 patients ≥65 years had undergone RYGB at our institutions (age 68 ± 1 years, body mass index 50 ± 3 kg/m²). The overall complication rate was 20%, and the length of stay was 7 ± 3 days. One patient (4%) died 5 weeks postoperatively of septic complications. For the 13 patients with a median follow-up of 21 months (range 9–61), the percentage of excess body weight loss was 51% ± 7%; medication use for co-morbidities decreased from 9 ± 1 to 4 ± 1 medications/day (P <.01). The Florida Discharge Database reported 231 patients ≥65 years who had undergone RYGB. In that group of patients, the mean age was 67 ± 0.2 years, the length of stay was 6 ± 1 days, in-hospital mortality rate was 1.3%, and the overall complication rate was 15%. Conclusion: In a small cohort of patients ≥65 years, RYGB resulted in significant weight loss and resolution of obesity-related co-morbidities. The findings from the mandatory reported Florida Discharge Database strongly confirmed the safety of RYGB in patients ≥65 years. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]