Surgical treatment for morbid obesity.

Since severe obesity is frequently associated with serious metabolic, cardiovascular and psychological co-morbid conditions, and given the usually unsuccessful results of conservative therapeutic approaches, surgical treatment based on gastric restriction procedures is increasingly recognized as a treatment of choice for morbidly obese persons. Among several surgical approaches designed to promote a substantial loss of weight, two gastric restriction procedures, i.e. the vertical banded gastroplasty and the gastric bypass, have been increasingly used during the past years. Both techniques induce an impressive loss of weight, and are surprisingly well tolerated, even by severely obese persons. The usual 50-75% reduction of initial weight excess, is followed by a clear-cut reduction, or even disappearance of, obesity-related co-morbidity, such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus or sleep apnea syndrome. While serious peri- and postoperative risks are very limited, the intractable vomiting occurring after gastroplasty, and potential sequelae related to iron and calcium malabsorption after the gastric bypass, represent much more frequent complications of the surgical treatment of obesity. There is also a tendency towards a late regain of weight, but the benefit in terms of improvement in the obesity-associated co-morbidity is in general maintained despite this partial increase in weight. Gastric procedures are, therefore, an effective treatment of severe obesity and of its co-morbid conditions. However, careful medical and nutritional supervision is necessary during the follow-up after surgery, to prevent potential nutritional or digestive complications.