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From Bariatric to Metabolic Surgery: Definition of a New Discipline and Implications for Clinical Practice

  • Lipid and Metabolic Effects of Gastrointestinal Surgery (F Rubino, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Bariatric surgery indicates a variety of gastrointestinal (GI) surgical procedures originally designed to induce weight reduction in morbidly obese patients. Benefits of bariatric surgery, however, extend well beyond weight loss and include dramatic improvement of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and reduction of overall mortality. Furthermore, studies in rodents and humans show that the anti-diabetes effect of certain bariatric procedures results from a variety of neuroendocrine and metabolic mechanisms secondary to changes in GI anatomy. The recognition that benefits and mechanisms of GI operations are not limited to weight reduction provided a rationale for the emergence of metabolic surgery intended as a surgical approach primarily aimed to the treatment of diabetes and metabolic disease. Consistent with the goals of improving glycemic and metabolic control, in contrast to mere weight loss, metabolic surgery implies the development of a new model of care distinct from traditional bariatric surgery. This paper discusses the definition of metabolic surgery and its clinical practice.

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Conflict of Interest

Francesco Rubino has received research grants from Covidien and is Scientific Advisory Board Member of NGM Biopharmaceuticals and Fractyl Laboratories. He has also received speaking honoraria from Ethicon and Sanofi over the past 12 months.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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  1. King’s College London, London, UK

    Francesco Rubino

  2. Catholic University of Rome, Rome, Italy

    Francesco Rubino

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  1. Francesco Rubino
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Correspondence to Francesco Rubino.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Lipid and Metabolic Effects of Gastrointestinal Surgery

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Rubino, F. From Bariatric to Metabolic Surgery: Definition of a New Discipline and Implications for Clinical Practice. Curr Atheroscler Rep 15, 369 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-013-0369-x

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