Preoperative weight loss improves bariatric surgery outcomes, according to findings from a single-institution retrospective analysis. The weight loss came from following a 4-week low-calorie diet (LCD) and was of greatest benefit to patients who lost 8% or more of their excess weight. These patients had a greater loss of excess weight in the 12 months following surgery, as well as shorter average hospital length of stay.
The results appeared online in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
Preliminary studies indicated that short-term weight loss before surgery might reduce surgical complexity by reducing the size of the liver and intra-abdominal fat mass, but it remained uncertain what effect weight loss might have on long-term outcomes.
