Comparing patterns of care and outcomes after operative management of complications after bariatric surgery at MBSAQIP accredited bariatric centers and non-bariatric facilities.

Background: Many operations for complications after bariatric surgery are performed by surgeons without bariatric expertise at centers without teams who routinely care for bariatric patients. This study sought to evaluate whether bariatric expertise affects patterns of care and perioperative outcomes among patients undergoing operative intervention for complications after bariatric surgery.

Methods: Administrative claims data from the Kentucky Office of Health Policy were queried for inpatients undergoing operative intervention for complications related to bariatric surgery between 2015 and 2018.