Weight Loss in Adolescents After Bariatric Surgery: A Systematic Review

Introduction: Bariatric surgery is a treatment option for the obese adolescent. There are three primary surgical procedures: the bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, and lap band. The most recent literature was reviewed to examine changes in weight, comorbidities, and complications after bariatric surgery in the adolescent. Method: A systematic search was performed to identify original research articles published in the United States between the years of 2000 and 2017 with patients between the ages of 11 and 21 years that provided greater than 30 days of results. Results: A total of 23 articles were identified. Weight loss, improvement in comorbidities, and complications after all procedures were reported. Discussion: Outcomes were not reported in a standardized fashion, creating much difficulty in interpreting and comparing results. The sleeve gastrectomy is increasing in incidence, whereas the lap band is decreasing. Further research is needed to draw more definitive conclusions regarding long-term results in the adolescent undergoing bariatric surgery.