Preoperative Weight Loss and Operative Outcome After Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

Use of a preoperative diet before bariatric surgery to improve postoperative complications and weight loss has been reported. However, evidence supporting this diet for laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is insufficient. We aimed to investigate postoperative outcomes influenced by preoperative diet before LSG.

This study included 247 patients who underwent LSG after preoperative weight management. They were classified according to preoperative weight changes (group 1, weight gain; group 2, 0–3.0% total weight loss (TWL); group 3, 3.1–5.0% TWL; group 4, >5.1% TWL) and investigated for early postoperative complications and weight loss at 1 year.

There were 37 patients in group 1, 79 in group 2, 64 in group 3, and 67 in group 4. There were no statistical differences in initial physical status among the 4 groups. The median BMI declined to 27.6 kg/m² in the entire group. Although the average %TWL during the combined preoperative and postoperative periods showed no statistical differences (P = 0.69), the average %TWL during the postoperative period decreased gradually as the extent of preoperative weight loss increased (P = 0.01). The early postoperative complication rate for the entire group was 6.9%; it tended to be lower as the extent of preoperative weight loss increased. However, a multiple logistic regression model demonstrated that the preoperative diet was not a statistical predictor of reduced early postoperative complications (P = 0.28).

The extent of preoperative weight loss statistically affected postoperative weight loss. A preoperative diet might have minor advantages in reducing the risk of early postoperative complications.