Bariatric Surgery Among Obese Veterans: a Retrospective Review of Complications and Intermediate Term Results from a Single Institution

The purpose of this study was to compare the results and complications among obese veterans undergoing sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass at a low-volume center. This is a retrospective review of bariatric procedures performed by a single surgeon from 2009-2013. Outcomes of interest were mortality, complications, and length of stay. Weight loss and comorbidity resolution were compared between sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and Roux-y gastric bypass (RYGB). Length of stay and distance traveled to receive services were analyzed. Distributed groups were compared with Student's t test. Welch's correction was used where variances were unequal via ANOVA. Complications were compared using Fisher's exact test. Eighty-five patients (SG = 51, RYGB = 34) were analyzed. Postoperatively, patients were seen in clinic, contacted by phone or email, and their electronic health care records were reviewed. Average length of follow-up was 114.3 weeks. Mortality was 0 %. Complication rates were comparable between groups. The percent total weight loss was 22.6 % for the SG and 27.5 % for the RYGB (p = 0.02). The percent excess weight loss was 49 % for SG and 55 % for RYGB (p = 0.149). Percent excess body mass index (BMI) loss was 54 and 61 % (p = 0.197) for SG and RYGB, respectively. Comorbidity resolution was similar between groups except for diabetes which was superior for RYGB (p = 0.03). Veterans lived an average of 141.3 miles from our VA, and all 85 patients were able to be contacted for follow-up. Despite long travel distances for high-risk veterans, bariatric surgery can be performed safely even at a low-volume VA hospital with acceptable morbidity and mortality and excellent follow-up. There was no difference in morbidity or mortality between patients undergoing SG vs RYGB.