Current status of laparoscopic bariatric surgery.

As the prevalence of obesity has dramatically increased and obesity has become one of the leading public health threats worldwide, the number of bariatric surgeries performed has been exponentially increasing. According to a recent survey, over 90% of bariatric procedures are performed by laparoscopic approach. The most commonly performed procedures are Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (open and laparoscopic), followed by laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, and sleeve gastrectomy. Definite geographic trends are observable in the specific bariatric procedures being performed. A number of studies have already demonstrated the efficacy of bariatric surgery for the treatment of obesity and its comorbidities, although there are still only a handful of prospective, controlled studies with a high level of evidence. Considering the results derived from a large-scale, prospective, multicenter study and a systematic review, it can be reasonably said that bariatric surgery is a safe and feasible intervention for the treatment of life-threatening morbid obesity under controlled conditions. So far, several studies have shown improved survival rates for patients who undergo bariatric surgery compared with a control cohort of severely obese patients who did not. In addition, bariatric surgery seems to have a positive impact on the economy, although currently only about 1-2% of eligible patients with morbid obesity receive bariatric surgery. In this mini-review article, we summarize bariatric surgery outcomes by quoting some of the recently published landmark articles.