Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy for obesity treatment in adolescents and young adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundThe incidence of obesity has been increasing in younger population, posing a significant impact on adolescents' life and health care system worldwide.MethodsWe critically analyzed the existing literature on the use of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) for the treatment of obesity. We performed an in-depth evaluation of 37 studies and analyzed the effect of LSG in 2300 patients, aged <= 22 years.ResultsMean body mass index (BMI) loss after LSG was 17.81 kg/m(2). Gastroesophageal reflux was the most common complication. Most of the patients showed remission of comorbidities including hypertension, diabetes, and obstructive sleep apnea after LSG.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that surgical intervention is highly beneficial for reducing BMI in appropriately selected adolescents and young adults suffering from obesity and comorbidities such as life-threatening obstructive sleep apnea.