The reality of an Obesity Surgical Treatment Center in Portugal

Introduction: Obesity surgery is used as the most effective treatment for morbid obesity, with better cost-benefit, less morbidity and mortality. The present study aimed to analyze the results of a surgical center for obesity treatment and integrate them with the most recent scientific evidence. Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional observational study involving 270 patients aged 18 years or older, who underwent bariatric surgery between July 2008 and February 2020 in a private hospital in Portugal. Results: The sample presented an average age of 44 ± 12 years, being mostly female (83.7%). The average pre-surgery Body Mass Index was 41.1 ± 4.9 kg/m2 . The most performed surgery was Gastric Bypass (80.4%), followed by Gastric Banding (14.8%) and Gastric Sleeve (4.8%). One month after surgery, there was a percentage of excess weight lost (% EWL) of 25.2 ± 9.6%. After 6 months, there was an average % EWL of 67.2 ± 23.2%. One year after surgery, the average % EWL was 75.7 ± 25.7%, the average Body Mass Index was 29.3 ± 4.6 kg/m2 and the average weight loss percentage was 29.5 ± 9.4%. Conclusion: Gastric Bypass is the mostly performed surgery, because it is the Gold Standard method for surgical treatment of obesity in this center. On average, all surgeries performed have extremely positive results of excess weight lost. After 1 year, patients maintained an average weight loss percentage of 29.5 ± 9.4%, in line with data presented in a study that estimated an average recorded weight loss percentage of 28.9%. Data like those presented by the American Society for Nutrition (ASN), the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC), the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO), the International Society for the Perioperative Care of the Obese Patient (ISPCOP) and the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) (2019), indicate a target weight loss percentage between 20 and 45%.