Follow-up of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass patients at 5 or more years postoperatively

Background: Short-term results (24 to 36 months) after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) have been extensively described. Little is reported on the patients operated >= 5 years ago. We analyzed the results of weight loss, resolution of co-morbidities and nutritional complications of patients submitted to the silicone ring RYGBP, at least 5 years before. Methods: 75 morbidly obese patients who underwent silicone ring RYGBP between Oct 1995 and Dec 1999, 18 men and 57 women, were studied. Demographic data, nutritional status and the presence of co-morbidities (type 2 diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, dyslipidemia) were accessed. Pre- and postoperative BMI were registered, along with excess weight loss (EWL). Nutritional deficiencies were accessed by laboratory assays. Results: Mean follow-up was 87 months. Initial BMI was 56.7 +/- 10 kg/m(2). After 2 years, BMI had dropped to 29.3 +/- 6.8, and by the last interview BMI was 35.5 +/- 10. %EWL after 2 years was 80.2 +/- 17.3%, and at the end was 71.8 +/- 21.6%. After 2 years, only 1 of the 75 patients (1.33%) had not achieved an EWL of at least 50%. At the end, 23 patients (30.6%) could not maintain this EWL. Resolution of diabetes was 76.5%, arterial hypertension 37.3% and sleep apnea 93.5%. Iron, vitamin B-12 and vitamin D were the most common nutritional deficiencies. Conclusions: Long-term follow-up (5 to 9 years) after the RYGBP was associated with satisfactory mantainance of EWL, and resolution or improvement of the main co-morbidities was observed in the majority of the patients.