Abstract
The prevalence of obesity worldwide is extremely high, its etiology complex, and its progression uncontrollable. As Michel Gagner, a pioneer in obesity surgery, said “Obesity is now threatening the life expectancy of many countries, with a few demonstrating a decline, and is probably associated, like tobacco, with an upsurge in cancer incidence.” Prevention and active treatment of obese patients would be the solution, although difficult. Furthermore, the incidence of obesity has been rising throughout the world, especially in developing countries. Because of the unacceptably high failure rate of medical treatment, bariatric surgery has become a safe treatment alternative by providing a substantially more effective strategy to achieve weight reduction and the resolution of associated comorbidities.
In this issue of JLAST, we have invited international experts to share the most up-to-date information on bariatric surgery. Topics included will help the general and bariatric surgeons to understand issues in the global treatment of obesity and in understanding the techniques of the most common primary bariatric procedure, as sleeve gastrectomy and revisional surgery, which has been increasingly performed in the past decade. Some problems and complications regarding bariatric procedures are described and also the issue of GERD after bariatric surgery is thoroughly discussed and dissected.