Physique contouring procedures don’t result in improved long-term weight reduction after bariatric surgical procedure, examine finds

For sufferers with large weight reduction after bariatric surgical procedure, subsequent physique contouring to take away extra pores and skin is just not itself related to long-term weight reduction, studies a examine within the June concern of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgical procedure^®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). The journal is printed within the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.

In distinction to earlier research, we discovered that physique contouring procedures don’t result in improved weight reduction or weight upkeep after bariatric surgical procedure. Quite, the reported advantages of physique contouring seem like in enhancing high quality of life.”

Teresa Benacquista, MD,  ASPS Member Surgeon, Montefiore Medical Middle, Bronx, N.Y.

New take a look at how physique contouring impacts long-term weight reduction

Physique contouring refers to a variety of surgical procedures to take away extra pores and skin in sufferers with main weight reduction, with the purpose of enhancing the affected person’s look, lowering discomfort, and enhancing bodily operate. Earlier research have prompt that sufferers who endure physique contouring have extra sustained weight reduction over time, though some research have reported conflicting outcomes.

The examine included 2,531 sufferers who underwent bariatric surgical procedure between 2009 and 2012. Of those, 350 sufferers underwent physique contouring a median of two years later. One other 364 sufferers consulted with plastic surgeons about physique contouring, however didn’t proceed to surgical procedure. The remaining 1,817 sufferers had neither physique contouring nor a session.

At follow-up, sufferers who underwent physique contouring did certainly have extra sustained weight reduction. After one yr, common physique mass index (BMI) was about 3 kg/m² decrease within the physique contouring group, in comparison with sufferers who had bariatric surgical procedure solely. By seven years, BMI was 5 kg/m² decrease for sufferers who underwent physique contouring.

Nonetheless, weight reduction was additionally higher for sufferers who had a session however didn’t proceed with physique contouring. For this group, common BMI was 1.5 kg/m² decrease at one yr in comparison with sufferers with no session, and a couple of.3 kg/m² decrease after seven years.

Additional evaluation centered on 259 sufferers from the session group who had enough weight reduction to be thought-about candidates for physique contouring. For these sufferers, common BMI after seven years was about the identical as for sufferers who underwent physique contouring: 31 versus 30 kg/m², in comparison with 35 kg/m² for these with no session or physique contouring. Evaluation by share of extra physique weight misplaced confirmed an analogous sample.

Variations in long-term weight reduction by kind of surgical procedure and race/ethnicity

Weight reduction was additionally affected by the kind of bariatric surgical procedure: sufferers present process a process known as sleeve gastrectomy had decrease sustained weight reduction, in comparison with gastric bypass. Amongst physique contouring sufferers, common distinction in extra physique weight reduction was about eight p.c at seven years’ follow-up.

Black sufferers had decrease sustained weight reduction, in comparison with different racial/ethnic teams. In distinction to earlier research of weight reduction after bariatric surgical procedure, most sufferers within the new evaluation recognized as Black (about 29%) or Hispanic/Latinx (62%).

The examine raises questions in regards to the results of physique contouring on long-term weight reduction after bariatric surgical procedure. Noting the same responses in sufferers who underwent physique contouring versus these with session solely, Dr. Benacquista and coauthors write, “[T]he affect of physique contouring on weight reduction is probably going minimal, and the distinction in weight reduction as in comparison with the ‘bariatric solely’ group is secondary to particular person affected person elements.”

The researchers add: “The obvious advantages of physique contouring in large weight reduction sufferers is probably going psychosocial, associated to enhancements in bodily functioning.”