Bariatric surgery at the extremes of age.

The safety and efficacy of bariatric surgery in adolescents and especially in Medicare population have been challenged. Our aim was to determine short-term (30-day) and long-term outcomes of bariatric surgery in patients>or=60 years and or=60 years and 12 patientsor=60 years and all 12 adolescents returned the questionnaire (92%) at a mean of 5 years (range 1-19 years). For patients>or=60 years, 30-day mortality was 0.7%, serious morbidity delaying discharge was 14%, and 5-year mortality was 5%. At a mean of 5 years, body mass index (BMI in kg/m2) decreased from a mean (+/-SEM) of 46+/-1 to 33+/-1 with a 51% resolution of weight-related comorbidities and an 89% subjective overall satisfaction rate. In patients