Short- and Long-Term Safety and Efficacy of Bariatric Surgery for Severely Obese Adolescents: A Narrative Review
Lauren A. Sarno, Steven E. Lipshultz, Carroll Harmon, Nestor F. de la Cruz-Muñoz, Prasad L. Balakrishnan
- This comprehensive review of the medical literature found that bariatric surgery is a safe and effective treatment for teenagers with severe obesity. Complication rates in adolescents are comparable to those seen in adults, and the weight loss achieved is both significant and long-lasting.
- Teenagers who undergo bariatric surgery may actually benefit more than adults in certain areas — particularly in reversing type 2 diabetes and improving heart disease risk factors — likely because they have had these conditions for a shorter period of time.
- Beyond weight loss, the review found that bariatric surgery in adolescents leads to improvement or resolution of many obesity-related health problems, including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, and fatty liver disease.
- The review emphasizes that the best outcomes for teens occur when surgery is performed at experienced centers with a full team of specialists working together to support the patient before and after surgery.
- Dr. de la Cruz-Muñoz co-authored this review in Pediatric Research, one of the leading pediatric medical journals in the world, alongside experts in pediatric cardiology and pediatric surgery, reflecting his recognized expertise in adolescent weight loss surgery.
This narrative review published in Pediatric Research provides a comprehensive synthesis of the short- and long-term safety and efficacy data for bariatric surgery in severely obese adolescents. The review examines the existing evidence base across multiple domains: perioperative safety and complication rates, short-term weight loss outcomes, long-term weight loss durability, resolution of obesity-related comorbidities, nutritional considerations, psychosocial outcomes, and quality of life improvements. Key findings include that bariatric surgery in adolescents produces clinically significant and durable weight loss, with complication rates comparable to adult populations, and that adolescents may derive greater long-term metabolic benefits, particularly diabetes remission and cardiovascular risk factor improvement. The review concludes that bariatric surgery is a safe and effective treatment for severe obesity in adolescents when performed at experienced centers with appropriate multidisciplinary support.
Sarno LA, Lipshultz SE, Harmon C, De La Cruz-Muñoz NF, Balakrishnan PL. Short- and long-term safety and efficacy of bariatric surgery for severely obese adolescents: a narrative review. Pediatric Research. 2020;87(2):202-209. doi:10.1038/s41390-019-0532-3.
