Safety and feasibility of resuming bariatric surgery under the cloud of COVID-19

A Comparative Analysis of Safety and Efficacy of Bariatric Surgery During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Pre-Pandemic Period: Insights from the Tehran Obesity Treatment Study

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has raised global health concerns and posed challenges for postoperative follow-up care for patients undergoing bariatric surgery due to social distancing rules.

METHODS

This was a cohort study on patients with morbid obesity who underwent bariatric surgery and had been enrolled in Tehran Obesity Treatment Study. Patients who had surgery between March 2020 and March 2021 were classified as those undergoing the procedure amid the COVID-19 pandemic, while those who had surgery between March 2017 and March 2018 were categorized as the pre-pandemic group.

RESULTS

The study included 982 patients in the pre-COVID-19 pandemic group and 602 patients in the COVID-19 pandemic group, with mean ages of 39.61 and 39.51 years, respectively. After adjusting for preoperative body mass index (BMI) and surgery type, the patients who underwent surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated comparable results to the pre-COVID-19 group in terms of total weight loss %, excess weight loss %, BMI reduction, and fat mass reduction during the 12-month postoperative period. Additionally, the rate of complications with a grade≥III based on the Clavien-Dindo classification was significantly lower in patients who underwent surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Notably, there were no deaths reported in either group.

CONCLUSION

Despite social isolation and unfavorable lifestyle modifications, bariatric surgery-induced weight loss after one year was the same in patients undergoing the procedure either before or after the implementation of social distancing measures. More research is needed to analyze the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the long-term outcomes of bariatric surgery.

Impact of Surgical Postponements due to Covid-19 on Weight and Metabolic Parameters in Bariatric Surgery in Germany: Monocentric Experiences and Considerations in a National Context

BACKGROUND

Due to Covid-19, elective medical procedures were partly postponed to reduce the burden on the medical system. The impact of these effects in bariatric surgery and their individual consequences remain unknown.

MATERIALS/METHODS

In a retrospective monocentric analysis, all bariatric patients at our centre between 01/2020 and 12/2021 were investigated. All patients with postponed surgery due to pandemic were analysed regarding weight change and metabolic parameters. In addition, we performed a nationwide cohort study of all bariatric patients in 2020 using billing data provided by the Federal Statistical Office. Population adjusted procedure rates of 2020 were compared to 2018/2019.

RESULTS

Seventy-four patients (42.5%) out of 174 scheduled for bariatric surgery were postponed due to pandemic-related limitations, and 47 (63.5%) patients waited longer than 3 months. Mean postponement was 147.7 days. Apart from outliers (6.8% of all patients), mean weight (+0.9 kg) and body mass index (+0.3 kg/m2) remained stable. HbA1c increased significantly in patients with a postponement longer than 6 months (p = 0.024) and in diabetic patients (+0.18% vs -0.11 in non-diabetic, p = 0.042). In the Germany-wide cohort, the overall reduction of bariatric procedures in the first lockdown (04-06/2020) was -13.4% (p = 0.589). In the second lockdown (10-12/2020), there was no nationwide detectable reduction (+3.5%, p = 0.843) but inter-state differences. There was a catch-up in the interim months (+24.9%, p = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

For future lockdowns or other healthcare bottleneck circumstances, the impact of postponement in bariatric patients has to be addressed and prioritization of vulnerable patients (e.g. diabetics) should be considered.