Background
Adolescent obesity has been a striking global health issue in recent decades. Although nonsurgical weight loss strategies like lifestyle modifications, physical exercise, and dietary control have been crucial in obesity management in that age group, they have shown disappointing results. Consequently, growing interest has emerged on the surface in bariatric surgery for adolescents. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) can be an effective treatment option for adolescent obesity and controlling or even eliminating its obesity-related comorbidities.
Patients and methods
Data were collected from the prospectively maintained database between 2014 and 2019 in the Gastrointestinal Surgical Center of Mansoura University. Obese adolescents aged 12–19 years who underwent LSG with a BMI of more than 40 kg/m or a BMI of greater than 35 kg/m associated with obesity-related comorbidities were included.
Results
A total of 40 patients were included in the study, comprising 18 males and 22 females. The median age was 17 years. The mean preoperative body weight and BMI were 147.15 ± 36.31 kg and 52.55 ± 11.61 kg/m, respectively. All patients had at least one comorbidity. Osteoarthritis and depression were the commonest in the study cohort (14 patients each, 35%). After 2 years of follow-up, the Excess Body Weight Loss (EBWL) was 40.84 kg. All patients had achieved %EBWL more than 50% at 12 months. No nutritional deficiency was encountered in the study period. All obesity-related comorbidities (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), and dyslipidemia) had been resolved.
Conclusion
Obese adolescents will grow into obese adults, with increasing burden on health care systems. LSG is feasible, effective, and safe for management of adolescent obesity in the terms of weight loss and resolution of obesity-related comorbidities. Long-term follow-up is needed in future studies.