Successful multi-intervention treatment of severe obesity: a 7-year prospective study with 96% follow-up.

Background: No long-term, high participation study of the outcome of bariatric surgery has examined how a multi-intervention approach to the treatment of severe obesity can achieve and sustain weight loss after an initial bariatric procedure.

Methods: We employed a multi-intervention treatment that combines adjustable gastric banding with intensive follow-up to support patient life-style change and use of an algorithm allowing reoperation-to bypass, if necessary-in the event of complications. Four hundred four severely obese patients with an average BMI = 42.

Bowel habits after bariatric surgery.

Background: Disordered bowel habits might influence quality of life after bariatric surgery. Different types of bariatric operations-gastric banding (AGB), Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), or biliopancreatic diversion (BPD)-might alter bowel habits as a consequence of the surgical procedure used. Whether change in bowel habits affects quality of life after AGB, RYGB, or BPD differently is unknown.