As bariatric and metabolic surgery restarts across the world, Bariatric News spoke to Shaw Somers about how the bariatric community can safely resume surgery... 

1. Although the pandemic has sadly resulted in the loss of many people, the risk of dying from the virus is low for most people (some 80% are asymptomatic). What can be done to reassure patients thinking about bariatric surgery but who are also worried about possibly acquiring the virus in hospital or shortly after their procedure?

As bariatric and metabolic surgery restarts across the world, Bariatric News spoke to Ricardo Cohen about how the bariatric community can safely resume surgery... 

1. Our survey showed that the vast majority of bariatric specialists do not support prioritising surgery for low-BMI groups and non-diabetic patients. Do you believe there any group of patients who should be prioritised?

As bariatric and metabolic surgery restarts across the world, Bariatric News spoke to Monika Proczko-Stepaniak about how the bariatric community can safely resume surgery... 

As bariatric and metabolic surgery restarts across the world, Bariatric News spoke to Ahmed Bashir about how the bariatric community can safely resume surgery... 

1. When you consider all the recommendations and best practices around the globe, what do you think is the first priority for your respective country to focus in terms of managing obese patients during & after COVID-19?

Body mass index (BMI) is associated with the development of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and admission to intensive care units (ICU) in African Americans, according to researchers from the Department of Medicine, Section of Pulmonary Diseases, Critical Care and Environmental Medicine at Tulane University Health Science Center in New Orleans, LA. The outcomes were published in the paper, ‘BMI is Associated with Coronavirus Disease 2019 Intensive Care Unit Admission in African Americans’, in Obesity, the flagship journal of The Obesity Society.

As bariatric and metabolic surgery restarts across the world, Bariatric News spoke to Michel Gagner about how the bariatric community can safely resume surgery... 

1. There has been much debate surrounding the use of radiofrequency energy/ electrothermal bipolar devices versus ultrasonic coagulating devices, with regards to the possible risk of infection through aerosolization. What are your thoughts on device use and aerosolization?

As bariatric and metabolic surgery restarts across the world, Bariatric News spoke to current IFSO-EC President, Gerhard Prager about how the bariatric community can safely resume surgery... 

1. Two of many key recommendations from a recent IFSO publication that you co-authored, 'How are We Going to Restart Elective Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery after the Peak of Covid-19Pandemic?’ concerned pre- and post-operative care consultations.

As bariatric and metabolic surgery restarts across the world, Bariatric News spoke to past IFSO President, Kelvin Higa about how the bariatric community can safely resume surgery... 

1. What have been the most important changes you have developed at your centre to the ‘bariatric patient pathway’ to ensure the safety of both the patient and bariatric and metabolic specialists?

Obesity management should focus on outcomes that patients consider to be important - not weight loss alone and include a holistic approach that addresses the root causes of obesity, according to a new clinical practice guideline published in Canadian Medical Association Journal.

As bariatric and metabolic surgery restarts across the world, Bariatric News spoke to current IFSO President, Lilian Kow about how the bariatric community can safely resume surgery... 

1. As the current president of IFSO, what steps has the Federation taken to help promote the safe return to surgery for patients and bariatric specialists?

The outcomes of an online survey conducted by Bariatric News has revealed that there is little consensus among bariatric and metabolic specialists around prioritising specific groups (non-diabetics, BMI, age) when bariatric surgery is resumed during the current COVID-19 pandemic. However, there was a high degree of consensus concerning testing, personnel protective equipment, who should perform surgery and utilising post-operative tele-conferencing.

Men who were overweight or had obesity as adolescents have a substantial risk increase for developing venous thromboembolism (VTE) later in life compared with those who were not overweight or had obesity when they were adolescents, according to research headed by Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden.

Allurion Technologies has announced the company’s entry into Asia with the launch of the Elipse Program in Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore. Building upon its success in Europe, Middle East, and Latin America, the company’s entry into Asia could impact the lives of over one billion people who are overweight or have obesity in a region that historically has had limited access to non-invasive weight loss treatments.

Internet-connected surveillance as part of a bariatric surgery enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programme was safe and effective in detecting 100% of early complications and most patients were satisfied with their care, according to researchers from France. The findings were reported in the paper, ‘Connected Surveillance for Detection of Complications After Early Discharge from Bariatric Surgery’, was published in Obesity Surgery.

The British Obesity & Metabolic Surgery Society and Obesity UK have responded to the UK government’s recently announced obesity strategy to get the nation fit and healthy, protect themselves against COVID-19 and protect the NHS.

Patients with obesity are at higher risk of developing heart failure and yet, many obese patients face obstacles to getting heart transplants, as recovery is considered to be more challenging and risky in individuals with high body mass. Some physicians have attempted to pair bariatric surgery, which has shown to effectively reduce body mass in some patients, with LVAD surgery - considered a bridge to heart transplantation. However, the studies in general were too small to assess whether the approach was generalizable.

Publicly funded Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) appeared to be higher in the first three years but similar thereafter to the costs of non-surgical interventions, according to the paper, ‘Association of Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass With Postoperative Health Care Use and Expenditures in Canada’, published in JAMA Surgery. The study found that hospital and emergency department (ED) readmissions after surgical bariatric interventions were associated with increased health care expenditures.

The UK government has revealed a raft of measures as part of the government’s new obesity strategy to get the nation fit and healthy, protect themselves against COVID-19 and protect the NHS. Living with excess weight puts people at greater risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19, with risk growing substantially as BMI increases. Nearly 8% of critically ill patients with COVID-19 in intensive care units have been morbidly obese, compared with 2.9% of the general population.

Bariatric surgery can improve female sexual function decreasing the risk of sexual dysfunction presence and the advantages are associated with the total BMI loss, according to researchers from Medical University of Warsaw and the Military Institute of Medicine, Warsaw, Poland. The outcomes were featured in the paper, ‘The effect of bariatric surgery on female sexual function: a cross-sectional study’, published in Scientific Reports.