ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTION Early Mortality Among Medicare Beneficiaries Undergoing Bariatric Surgical Procedures

IN THEUNITED STATES, MOST ADULTSare overweight or obese,1 and obe-sity is soon to become the leadingcause of death. Bariatric surgical procedures are the only interven-tions2 that consistently help patients achieve significant and sustainedweight loss and improvements in comorbid medical conditions.3-5 As a result, there has been dramatic growth in bariatric surgery over the last decade, with in-terest in applying it to those at high risk based on associated medical condi-tions and the growing population of older, obese patients.6 Balanced against these beneficial effects, however, are the risks of perioperative death and short-term adverse outcomes. These risk