Applying the Principles of Trauma-Informed Care to the Evaluation and Management of Patients Who Undergo Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery

Evaluation of relevant psychosocial variables is an important aspect of comprehensive, high-quality metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) care. Given the high rates of adverse childhood experience (ACEs) and other forms of trauma experienced later in life reported by individuals with class III obesity, it is time to apply the principles of trauma-informed care to the multidisciplinary care of MBS patients. This narrative review begins with a summary of the literature on the psychosocial functioning of individuals who present for MBS. Emphasis is placed upon the relationship between ACEs, class III obesity, and MBS. Trauma-informed care is defined, and its principles are applied to the MBS care continuum. The paper ends with a recommendation on how the field of MBS can integrate trauma-informed care into clinical practice and future research.