New National Patient and Surgeon Surveys Show Post-Surgical Care Critical to Optimal Weight Loss After Bariatr...(ucation as part of their training or fel...),Health

Surgeons believe regular exercise (67%), changing eating habits (58%) and support group attendance (34%) are the most difficult components of aftercare for patients and that while both groups of patients face compliance challenges after surgery, gastric band patients have a more difficult time with it than gastric bypass patients (59% vs. 49%). In addition, surgeons indicate that missed doctor appointments, insurance issues and long-distance travel are the reasons they do not see their patients more often.

"Techniques in bariatric surgery are consistent, but follow-up care tends to vary from bariatric program to bariatric program," said Alan Wittgrove, MD, a past president of the ASMBS and medical director of the Wittgrove Bariatric Center and Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla. "There are a lot of good programs out there but there is a need to standardize follow-up care so patients can achieve the best outcomes possible."

Gastric band patients who participated in five or more components of aftercare lost 30 percent more weight and reported having a significantly better quality of life than gastric band patients who participated in four or less. Compliant gastric bypass patients also lost more weight than their less compliant counterparts, but their success was not linked to any specific number of post-surgical activities. Gastric bypass patients (77%) indicated greater ease in complying with doctor recommendations than gastric band patients (66%).

It's not only what patients and surgeons do after surgery that can determine success. The vast majority of surgeons have patients engage in educational activities, nutritional counseling, medically supervised diet and exercise programs, support groups, and goal setting prior to surgery. Patients who felt prepared were twice as likely (39% vs. 18%) to say compliance after surgery was easy than those who felt "very or somewhat" unprepared for su
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