Surgical Approach to Adolescent Obesity

    October 2004 in “ Adolescent Medicine Clinics ”
    Thomas H. Inge, Meg H. Zeller, Victor F. Garcia, Stephen R. Daniels
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    TLDR Bariatric surgery may help severely obese teenagers but has risks and requires careful patient selection and long-term care.
    The document from 2004 examines the role of bariatric surgery in treating adolescent obesity, a condition that had seen a significant increase in prevalence in the United States. It notes that nearly 16% of adolescents were obese, with some regions experiencing rates as high as 39%. The paper suggests that bariatric surgery, such as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) and adjustable gastric banding, may be more effective than behavioral treatments for this age group, potentially leading to the improvement or resolution of obesity-related comorbidities. However, it also outlines the risks and complications associated with the surgery, including nutritional deficiencies and the need for lifelong follow-up and supplementation. The document stresses the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to patient care, careful patient selection, and the need for more clinical trials to establish the long-term safety and efficacy of bariatric surgery in adolescents. It also mentions that hair loss (telogen effluvium) has been reported in up to one-third of patients post-surgery, which may be related to nutritional issues. The authors call for the development of specialized adolescent bariatric surgery programs and recommend conservative indications for surgery until further research is available.
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