Obesity, Transplantation, and Bariatric Surgery: An Evolving Solution for a Growing Epidemic

The increasing obesity epidemic has major implications in the realm of transplantation. Patients with obesity face barriers in access to transplantation as well as unique challenges in perioperative and postoperative outcomes. Due to comorbidities associated with obesity along with the underlying end-stage organ disease leading to transplantation candidacy, these patients may not even be referred for transplant evaluation, much less be waitlisted or actually undergo transplantation. However, the utilization of bariatric surgery in this population can help optimize the transplant candidacy of patients with obesity and end-stage organ disease as well as improve perioperative and postoperative outcomes. In this paper, we will review the impact of obesity on kidney, liver, and cardiothoracic transplant candidates and recipients, as well as explore potential interventions to address obesity in these populations