Introduction: Morbid obesity is nowadays one of the major problems of well developed countries. Treatment of this disease comprises many modalities, but the most successful are surgical ones. With the advent of laparoscopic operations it became clear that these are particularly useful for operation in obese patients due to their minimal invasiveness. The aim of the study was to compare the effectiveness and quality of life of patients operated on for morbid obesity by laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) and laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric by-pass (LRYGB) by one surgeon in one surgical centre.
Material and methods: Between 2006-2011 in the Department of General and Vascular Surgery, Szczecin-Zdunowo Specialist Hospital, 74 morbidly obese patients (54 F, 20 M) were operated on by two methods. Mean age (42.4 and 45 years), and body mass index (46.5 ± 8.9 kg/m2 for LSG and 45.1 ± 4.4 kg/m2 for LRYGB) respectively, were comparable. One surgeon in one centre performed LSG in 33 patients (24 F, 9 M) and LRYGB in 41 patients (30 F, 11 M). An independent observer evaluated patients at times of up to 6 months (37 pts), and after 7 months to 36 months (37 pts) postoperatively. Quality of life was assessed by the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI) questionnaire, with accessory questions concerning sexual, physical and other activities before and after intervention.
Results: There were no serious short or long term complications in either group of patients, although one patient in each group felt permanent postoperative discomfort (2.44% and 3.03%). Percentages of excess weight loss in both groups were similar and reached after 6 months 38.5% for LSG, 39.9% for LRYGB, and after 7-36 months 64.5% for LSG, 66.9% for LRYGB respectively. Quality of life assessment revealed significantly lower values in core symptoms for patients after LRYGB compared to LSG, but after LSG constipation was slightly more frequent. However, the general GIQLI score for patients after both types of surgery was statistically insignificant (110.6 for LSG versus 108.7 for LRYGB). In both groups sexual and physical activities significantly improved after operation.
Conclusion: There were no significant differences in effectiveness and quality of life in patients after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric by-pass.