Long-term outcomes after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in Kuwait

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) has been established as an effective means of weight loss. Multiple studies report LSG as a cost-effective procedure with few perioperative complications. OBJECTIVES: Report long-term weight changes after LSG in a single center in Kuwait. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of data collected 5–8 years after surgery. SETTING: A single medical center. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients that had undergone LSG between December 2008 and December 2011. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Weight changes, short-term complications following surgery (within one month). SAMPLE SIZE: 187. RESULTS: The mean age at the time of the surgery was 36.5 (10.3) years. Females composed 71.6% of this study population. Two patients (1.1%) presented with a leak within 30 days of the surgery. Twenty-one (11.2%) patients underwent revisional bariatric surgery after LSG. Mean (SD) BMI decreased from 47.1 (8.3) kg/m(2) before surgery to 34.3 (7) kg/m(2) 5–8 years after surgery. Mean (SD) body weight decreased from 126.3 (25.3) kg to 91.6 (19.9) kg 5–8 years following LSG. The mean excess body weight loss was 58.8% (29.2%). CONCLUSION: LSG is a bariatric procedure with low complications and mortality in relation to other forms of bariatric surgery. It is associated with a significant improvement in weight loss in the long term. LIMITATIONS: Recall bias due to the nature of collecting the data, small sample size.