Do acute care surgeons need bariatric surgical training to ensure optimal outcomes in obese patients with nonbariatric emergencies?

INTRODUCTION

Acute care surgeons care for the entire breadth of the American adult population, including obese patients. As the population gets heavier, more patients will present to acute case surgeons with nonbariatric surgical emergencies. Do these surgeons need bariatric training to properly care for obese population?

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate our experience in obese population requiring acute surgery and compare outcomes based on surgeon expertise in bariatric surgery.

SETTING

Community teaching hospital, United States.

METHODS

Retrospective review of obese patients requiring acute surgical intervention. Surgeons were classified as bariatric surgeons (B, n = 2) versus nonbariatric surgeons (NB, n = 4). Demographic characteristics, co-morbidities, and outcomes based on surgeon training were compared.

RESULTS

Two hundred three patients comprised the cohort. The mean body mass index was 37 ±6 kg/m. The majority of procedures were laparoscopic (cholecystectomies n = 75, appendectomies n = 45). The remaining nonroutine laparoscopic cases were intestinal obstructions (n = 9), incarcerated hernias (n = 17), traumatic injuries (n = 48), and intestinal ischemia or perforation (n = 9). Bariatric surgeons performed 35% of cases, and risk profiles were similar between groups. Operative times were similar for cholecystectomies and appendectomies. Bariatric surgeons performed more nonroutine cases laparoscopically (7% B versus 2% NB, P = .001). Surgical site infections were low (2% B versus 4% NB, P = .4). Hospital length of stay was higher in the NB group at 9 ± 9 days versus 5 ± 4 days for B (P = .05). Mortality was 5%.

CONCLUSIONS

Acute surgical procedures were performed in obese patients. Bariatric expertise favorably affected length of stay and the application of laparoscopy. Bariatric expertise may improve outcomes in nonbariatric emergencies, but further study is warranted.