An update on best practice guidelines for specialized facilities and resources necessary for weight loss surgical programs.

The objective of this study is to update evidence-based best practice guidelines for specialized facilities and resources for weight loss surgery (WLS). We performed systematic search of English-language literature on WLS and facilities, equipment, and resources published between April 2004 and May 2007 in PubMed, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Library. Keywords were used to narrow the search for a selective review of abstracts, retrieval of full articles, and grading of evidence according to systems used in established evidence-based models.

Expert panel on weight loss surgery: executive report update.

Rapid shifts in the demographics and techniques of weight loss surgery (WLS) have led to new issues, new data, new concerns, and new challenges. In 2004, this journal published comprehensive evidence-based guidelines on WLS. In this issue, we've updated those guidelines to assure patient safety in this fast-changing field.