• Alexander Ramirez, Mayank Roy, Jesus E Hidalgo, Samuel Szomstein, and Raul J Rosenthal.
• Bariatric and Metabolic Institute, Section of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Florida, Weston, Florida 33331, USA.
• Surg Obes Relat Dis. 2012 Jul 1; 8 (4): 458-62.

BackgroundThe aim of the present study was to report the outcomes of bariatric surgery in patients >70 years of age at a community hospital in the United States.MethodsA retrospective review was performed of prospectively collected data from patients aged >70 years who had undergone bariatric surgery at a single institution from 2002 to 2008. The data analyzed included age, preoperative and postoperative weight and body mass index, postoperative complications, and co-morbidities.ResultsOf 42 patients aged >70 years who underwent bariatric surgery, 22 patients (52.4%) had undergone laparoscopic gastric banding, 12 patients (28.6%) laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, and 8 patients (19%) laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. The mean preoperative weight and body mass index was 127.4 ± 25.5 kg and 46.8 ± 9.3 kg/m(2), respectively. The mean postoperative weight and body mass index was 100.2 ± 17 kg and 35.5 ± 5.4 kg/m(2), respectively. The median length of follow-up was 12 months (range 1-66). The mean percentage of excess weight loss was 47.7% at 12 months, with 73.1% follow-up data. Complications included wound infections in 4 patients (9.5%), band removal in 3 patients (7.1%), anastomotic leak in 1 patient (2.3%), and megaesophagus in 1 patient (2.3%). No mortality occurred. The postoperative use of medications for hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and degenerative joint disease were reduced by 56%, 54%, 53%, 66%, and 50%, respectively.ConclusionBariatric surgery in carefully screened patients aged >70 years can be performed safely and can achieve modest improvement in co-morbidities.Copyright © 2012 American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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