Surgical Endoscopy

, Volume 21, Issue 7, pp 1095–1100 | Cite as

Influence of complications and extent of weight loss on quality of life after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

  • J. D. Rea
  • D. E. Yarbrough
  • R. R. Leeth
  • T. D. Leath
  • R. H. Clements
Article
First Online:
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Abstract

Introduction

Obesity decreases health-related quality of life, but bariatric surgery improves it. This study evaluates the effect of laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, postoperative complications, and percentage of excess body weight loss on quality of life.

Methods

SF-36v.1 questionnaires were administered preoperative (n = 505), 1 year (n = 237) and 2 years (n = 106) following laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Analysis was performed using Student’s t-test and multiple logistic regression analysis. Complications were defined as requiring additional intervention or hospitalization. SF-36 responses were normalized to 1998 US norms.

Results

Bariatric patients scored significantly lower on all scales compared to the normal population. Health-related quality of life notably improves after surgery. At 1 year, scores not only improved from baseline, but were higher than those of the non-obese reference population regardless of complications. Compared to patients at 2 years without complications, patients experiencing complications reported decreased scores, but scores remained higher than preoperative scores in five scales. At 1 and 2 years, ≤50% excess body weight loss decreased scores; however, scores were significantly improved from baseline.

Conclusions

Health-related quality of life in bariatric patients is worse than in controls, but it improves 1 and 2 years after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Complications or ≤50% excess body weight loss slightly decreases this improvement.

Keywords

Quality of life Morbid obesity Laparoscopic gastric bypass Obesity surgery Postoperative complications 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

Dr. Yarbrough is funded in part by a fellowship grant from Tyco Healthcare.

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2007

Authors and Affiliations

  • J. D. Rea
    • 1
  • D. E. Yarbrough
    • 1
  • R. R. Leeth
    • 1
  • T. D. Leath
    • 1
  • R. H. Clements
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of Surgery, Section of Gastrointestinal SurgeryUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabama

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