There are number of different health benefits that are achieved with weight loss surgery:
-
Diabetes: For patients that are on medications for diabetes, 77% are able to stop taking medications after surgery. Additional patients experience an improvement in control of their diabetes.
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Hypertension: Over 60% of patients with high blood pressure are able to stop medications and nearly 80% have an improvement in their high blood pressure:
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Sleep Apnea: Many patients have undiagnosed sleep apnea at their initial evaluation for weight loss surgery. It is important to be tested and start treatment prior to surgery if indicated to minimize the risk of complications. After surgery it has been reported that 68-95% of patients have resolution of their sleep apnea symptoms.
-
Hyperlipidemia: Many patients seeking treatment have elevated cholesterol or lipids prior to surgery. Lipid profiles are improved in 60-95% of patients after weight loss procedures.
- Quality of Life: Patients report an improved quality of life and increased activity after weight loss surgery.
- Death: Multiple studies have shown a decrease in the long term risk of death in obese individuals after weight loss surgery, mainly due to a reduction in deaths due to cardiovascular disease and cancer. The reduction is even greater in those people that have diabetes.
Journal of the American Medical Association. 292:1724-1737, 2004
Sjostrom L et al. N Engl J Med 2007;357:741-752
Adams TD et al. N Engl J Med 2007;357:753-761
Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery. 1(3);213-20, 1997
Annals of Surgery. 247(1);21-29, 2008
Annals of Surgery. 246(1);1028-1033, 2007
Annals of Surgery. 240(3); 415-424, 2004
There are also risks associated with weight loss surgery. The following charts demonstrate the risks of known complications in bariatric procedures in Oregon Weight Loss Surgery patients compared to nationally reported results.
| Gastric Bypass |
| Complication |
National Results |
|
OWLS Results |
| Death |
1% |
|
0.1% |
| Anastomptic leak |
1% |
|
0.8% |
| Wound Infection |
2% |
|
0.8% |
| Blood Clots to legs or lung |
1% |
|
0.5% |
| Bleeding |
3% |
|
1% |
| Anastomptic Structure |
3-10% |
|
4.1% |
| Internal Hemia |
3-6% |
|
5.8% |
| Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding |
| Complication |
National Results |
|
OWLS Results |
| Death |
0.1% |
|
0.1% |
| Serious Stomach Injury |
1% |
|
0.4% |
| Wound Infection |
1% |
|
0.3% |
| Blood Clots to legs or lung |
1% |
|
0.8% |
| Bleeding |
1% |
|
0.3% |
| Band Slippage |
4-18% |
|
5.8% |
| Band Erosion |
1% |
|
0.4% |
 |
