Does surgical skill in one bariatric procedure predict outcomes for another?

Editor's Note

Surgical skill in laparoscopic gastric bypass does not predict outcomes for laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, this study finds.

Surgeons with skill ratings in the top, middle, and bottom quartiles for laparoscopic gastric bypass had similar rates of complications after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (top 5.7%, Middle 6.4%, bottom 5.5%).

In addition, surgeons’ skill ratings did not correlate with rates of reoperation, readmission, and emergency department visits.

Evaluation of surgical skill with one bariatric procedure may not apply to other procedures and may require independent assessment of technical proficiency, the authors say.