Editor's Note Obese patients who had gastric bypass surgery cut their healthcare costs nearly 40% after 4 years and 80% if they had type 2 diabetes preoperatively, finds this study presented at Obesity Week 2015, which is hosted by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. The main reduction…

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Editor's Note Bariatric surgery along with 2 years of low-level lifestyle interventions resulted in more type 2 diabetes remissions than lifestyle interventions alone at 3-years followup, this study finds. Participants were randomized to either intensive lifestyle weight loss interventions for 1 year followed by low-level lifestyle interventions for 2 years…

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Editor's Note Bariatric surgery patients were at a much higher risk of suicide after surgery than before, in this study. Of 8,815 patients included in the study, 111 had 158 self-harm emergencies during follow-up. Overall, self-harm significantly increased postoperatively (3.63/1,000 patient years) compared with preoperatively (2.33/1,000 patient years). Self-harm emergencies…

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Editor's Note In this analysis of nearly 25,000 Medicare patients, mean total payments for bariatric surgical procedures varied from $11,000 to $13,000 per episode of care. The index hospitalization was responsible for 75% of total payments, followed by physician services (21%), and postacute care services (2.8%). As hospitals enter Medicare…

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Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration on July 28 approved a new balloon device to treat obesity without the need for a surgical procedure. The ReShape Integrated Dual Balloon System (ReShape Medical Inc, San Clemente, California) is inserted into the stomach endoscopically and then filled with saline. Patients are…

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Our Take Bariatric surgery in patients with type 2 diabetes resulted in more disease remission than lifestyle intervention alone, a study finds. Those who had a surgical procedure followed by lifestyle interventions were significantly more likely to achieve and maintain glycemic control than those who received intensive and then maintenance…

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Supporters of the bariatric surgery facility certification established in 2006 by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) are anxiously awaiting the agency’s final ruling on whether to reverse that decision. CMS issued a proposed decision memo in June and is expected to make its final ruling by the…

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Anew risk calculator allows surgeons to model and predict the risk of complications for individual patients after bariatric surgery, a new study reports. Available free online, the risk calculator will aid in surgical decision making and help patients better prepare for their surgery by understanding the true risks and benefits,…

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Millions of Americans struggling with severe obesity may in the future have an incision-free option for weight loss. Surgeons are evaluating a procedure called TOGA—for transoral gastroplasty—as part of a multicenter clinical study. The procedure, which involves passing a stapler down a patient's throat and stapling the stomach from the…

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