October - 26 - 2009
People who are "super obese" and those who suffer chronic health problems such as diabetes and heart disease are at an increased risk of dying within a year of weight-loss surgery, a new study shows. Researchers examined the data on 856 men and women who had bariatric surgery at 12 Veterans Affairs medical centers between 2000 and 2006, with an average age of 54 years and an average body-mass index (BMI) of 48.7. About 36 percent of the group was "super obese," with BMIs of 50 or higher, and 8 percent had chronic diseases. During the follow-up period, 54 patients died, with 1.3 percent dying within 30 days of surgery, 2.1 percent within 90 days, and 3.4 percent who died within a year. People with co-existing health problems had death rates of 1.5 percent, 5.8 percent, and 10.1 percent at 30 days, 90 days, and one year after surgery, respectively. The post-surgery death rates for super obese patients were 2 percent, 3.6 percent, and 5.2 percent. The reason for a higher death risk may be due to added abdobinal fat making the surgery more difficult or the increased likelihood of wound complications and blood clotting. The findings are published in the October issue of the Archives of Surgery.