Preoperative gastrointestinal assessment before bariatric surgery.

Obesity is a major health problem throughout the world. Bariatric surgery is frequently considered among the treatment options for the severely overweight, and surgically induced weight loss has become the best treatment for many morbidly obese people. A preoperative assessment to evaluate the suitability of a patient for a given operation and to clarify factors that may affect the outcome of a planned procedure should be carried out before the surgery. Preoperative evaluation of the gastrointestinal tract by a gastroenterologist before bariatric surgery yields important information that can lead to changes in planned treatments. This article discusses the factors that a gastroenterologist should assess before the surgery. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.