Introduction & Objective: According to the current guidelines in Japan, the upper age limit for bariatric and metabolic surgery is 65 y. This study aimed to examine the appropriateness of this upper age limit.
Methods: Using the database maintained by the Japanese Society for Treatment of Obesity, we conducted an analysis of patients in two age groups: those aged <65 y and those aged ≥65 y. Our analysis focused on postoperative weight loss, improvement in comorbidities, and frequency of perioperative complications.
Results: A total of 3649 patients aged <65 y (mean, 43.9 ± 9.5 y) with a preoperative body mass index of 42.5 ± 8.1 kg/m2, while 70 aged ≥65 y (mean, 67.2 ± 3.1 y; maximum,78 y) with a preoperative body mass index of 40.7 ± 6.9 kg/m2. Patients aged ≥65 y had a higher rate of diabetes, dyslipidemia and hypertension. The rates of reoperation, intraoperative complications, and postoperative complications did not differ between the age groups. Both groups achieved significant weight loss postoperatively, and no differences in the improvement of comorbidities were noted.
Conclusion: Metabolic surgery is safe and effective for older patients with clinically severe obesity. Weight loss was less in patients aged ≥65 y, but the percentage of total weight loss did not differ between the groups.
A. Hayashi: None. M. Takemoto: None. T. Tanaka: None.
