Bariatric Surgery in 2023: The Latest Tools and Trends
by Teresa LaMasters, MD, FACS, FASMBS, DABOM
Dr. LaMasters currently serves as Medical Director of Bariatric Surgery at UnityPoint Clinic Weight Loss Specialists in West Des Moines, Iowa, and Bariatric Surgeon and Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa.
Funding: No funding was provided.
Disclosures: The author has no conflicts of interest relevant to the content of this article.
Bariatric Times. 2023;20(2):26.
The new year is an opportunity to set new intentions for the year ahead, reflect on progress in our field, and explore the latest tools and research to help our patients better achieve their health goals. Fortunately, there is a spectrum of exciting tools, emerging science, and reasons for optimism in the bariatric surgery space.
Building on recent progress. Obesity has a history of misconceptions, but it’s reassuring to know that more and more people in the healthcare community now recognize it as the chronic, progressive disease it is. This has led to treatment for obesity being approached with an oncology model framework—a stepwise, multimodal perspective. Initial neoadjuvant therapy downstages the disease, while surgical and adjuvant therapies augment the results of surgical treatment and extend the effectiveness.
We continue to build on the data that shows metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) is the most effective long-term treatment for obesity that can prevent, improve, or resolve related diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer, among many others.
Innovative bariatric surgery tools to consider. A variety of interesting innovations are gaining steam this year, including multimodal therapy using several approaches to most effectively treat the disease of obesity, the use of anti-obesity medications (AOMs) in combination with MBS, endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, single anastomosis duodenolileal bypass with sleeve (SADI-S), and one anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB).
Emerging science to watch. One of the most exciting developments in 2022 is an increased understanding of the interactions between gut hormones and the brain that control hunger, satiety, and metabolism. We are starting to realize the mechanisms by which MBS impacts these neurohormonal pathways to alter the biochemistry and help shift the unhealthy physiology in patients with obesity. This understanding allows the body to work with, rather than against, the patient, and underscores MBS as the most powerful treatment for obesity, decreasing hunger hormones and producing more helpful satiety hormones.
The future of bariatric surgery. We know there is a variability of response to all treatments, including MBS, which is why the future of obesity treatment demands more individualization. To make the comparison to an oncology model again, clearly not all cancer is the same. Likewise, no two patients with obesity are the same. We don’t treat breast cancer, we treat a particular type of breast cancer. The very specific type and receptor status guides the treatment. As we better understand the different causes and forms of obesity, we will gain new insights into the types of procedures and treatments that will be most effective for each unique patient, tailoring our approach for the best outcome.
Our knowledge of obesity and bariatric surgery continues to evolve. Keep up with the latest developments in obesity medicine and leverage a library of resources and tools through the Obesity Medicine Association (OMA). Learn from the best in obesity treatment and how to implement new approaches in your practice at the Obesity Medicine 2023 Conference,1 April 19 to 23, in New York City, New York.
To learn more about obesity treatment or to become an OMA member, visit www.obesitymedicine.org/join.
Reference
- Obesity Medicine Association. Obesity Medicine 2023 Conference. https://obesitymedicine.org/spring/?utm_campaign=pr&utm_source=Bariatric_Times&utm_medium=article. Accessed 23 Jan 2023.
Category: Medical Methods in Obesity Treatment, Past Articles
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