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【medical-news】美国严重肥胖青年进行外科手术人
Sharp Increase In US Teens Tackling Severe Obesity With Surgery
Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness News
A nationwide US study has revealed that the yearly number of teenagers having surgery to tackle severe obesity has increased sharply since the 1990s.
But while this figure may seem alarming, it still represents a very small proportion of total bariatric surgeries, and compared to adults, teenagers who have this surgery are at no greater risk, they recover more quickly, and to date none of them has died.
The results of the study are published in the March issue of the journal Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
Researchers based at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center analyzed records from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 1996 to 2003 to compare the early postoperative results for morbidly obese adult and adolescent patients (12 to 19-year olds) who underwent bariatric surgery in that time.
The total number of adolescents who have had bariatric surgery in that period totals 2,744.
Dr Randall Burd, a pediatric surgeon and researcher at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and colleagues looked in particular at postoperative complications, the length of time the patients spent in hospital, how much the hospital charged, and the number of deaths as a result of the surgery.
They found that the number of adolescent bariatric cases in 2003 was 771, representing less than 0.7 per cent of the total number in the whole of the US.
However, this figure was nearly three times the annual rate between 1996 and 2000 which had remained steady at around 200 procedures per year and then rose sharply during 2000 to 2003.
When they compared the postoperative complications between adult and teenage patients they found little difference in the kind and number, but the teenagers on average spent less time in hospital - they recovered more quickly.
Also, while 0.2 per cent of adults died following surgery complications, there were no deaths among the teenage patients.
The researchers concluded that while bariatric surgery for adolescent patients has seen a sharp rise in recent years, it is still rare. The study is a first step toward consolidating nationwide research on the short and long term effects of this procedure on morbidly obese adolescents.
"This study suggests that the risks for adolescents undergoing weight loss surgery are low and may be even lower than in adults," said co-researcher Dr Thomas Inge, surgical director of the Comprehensive Weight Management Center at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, and associate professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
Bariatric surgery includes procedures such as gastric bypass, stomach stapling and banding. It is used as a last resort to help morbidly obese teenagers to bring down their weight.
Morbidly obese teenagers are at risk for type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea and heart disease.
"This trend, which seems to parallel the increase in adult bariatric surgery, suggests that the health benefits of bariatric surgery, including reducing the patient's diabetes, sleep apnea and heart disease, for example, are increasingly being recognized by patients and both adult and pediatric healthcare providers nationwide," said Dr Burd.
Dr Inge added that, "For teens who have tried all other options, it appears that not only can the surgery help them reduce their health risks, but it is possible that risks of the surgery itself are lower for teens because obesity has had fewer decades to damage vital organ systems in the body. We still must carefully monitor short- and long-term outcomes after these procedures to ensure their safety, but this news is reassuring."
The researchers found that although the majority of bariatric surgery patients are female, more male adolescents are asking for it.
One such patient is Eric Decker who had had bariatric surgery at Cincinnati Children's four years ago when he was 17 years old.
Eric began to have weight problems when he was 11. He was teased and bullied which made him depressed and gain more weight.
By the time he reached the 6th grade Eric was 190 pounds. He tried weight watchers but it didn't work for him. By the age of 16 he was 5 foot 10 and weighed 385 pounds.
He was inspired by Carnie Wilson, US singer and celebrity who underwent gastric bypass surgery to tackle her obesity problem.
"Looking back on it now, I wouldn't want to go through the pain again but it was well worth it," said Eric, who now studies journalism at the University of South Carolina.
Since his surgery Eric has remained healthy, and has a strict diet and fitness regimen.
"It's been four years since my surgery and I feel better than ever. Because of my excess skin, I have to choose clothes carefully but many people don't realize I've had the surgery until we sit down for dinner and all I can eat is a salad and a few bites of my meal. I realize it's a lifelong process but my health is worth it. I'd like to be around for a long time to fulfill my dreams," he added.
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作者:admin@医学,生命科学 2011-06-21 17:13
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