Bariatric procedures in adolescents are safe in accredited centers

Background: With the rise of obesity in adolescents, there is an exponential increase in bariatric procedures in this patient population. Objectives: The purpose of our study was to examine perioperative outcomes after bariatric surgery in this cohort. Setting: University hospital, involving a large database in New York State. Methods: The Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation Quality and Improvement Program public use file was queried to identify all adolescent patients (age <19 years) undergoing primary laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) or sleeve gastrectomy (SG) in 2015. We assessed 30-day postoperative complications. Results: We identified 1072 patients who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (n = 279) or SG (n = 793). The majority were Caucasian (n = 790) and female (n = 857) with mean body mass index and age of 47.9 ± 8.1 kg/m² and 18.2 ± 1 years, respectively, preoperative hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and obstructive sleep apnea were present in 90 (8.4%), 139 (13%), and 165 (15.4%) of patients, respectively. There was significant difference in preoperative gastroesophageal reflux disease (18.6% versus 13.4%, P =.033), obstructive sleep apnea (19.7% versus 13.9%, P =.02), and body mass index (48.6 ± 7.9 versus 47.6 ± 8.2 kg/m², P =.03) between patients undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and SG, respectively. Thirty-day reoperation, readmission, and reintervention were reported in 1.5%, 3.3%, and 1.6% of the adolescent cohort, respectively. Four patients (.4%) developed a staple line/anastomotic leak, and 1 patient (.09%) died within 30 days; 93.9% of all adolescent patients experienced an uneventful 30-day recovery. Uneventful recovery was significantly more likely for patients undergoing SG (95.3% versus 90%, P =.001; adjusted odds ratio 2.2, 95% confidence interval 1.31–3.69). Conclusion: Perioperative safety of bariatric surgery in adolescents in accredited centers is safer than previously reported with low rate of 30-day events. SG is a safer procedure in this patient population.