BACKGROUND: Changes in digestion and nutrients losses are relevant aspects in weight reduction and maintenance of the nutritional status of patients undergoing gastroplasty, but few studies are available in the literature. AIM: To study the systemic changes arising from the reduction in weight over time after surgery. METHOD: A prospective cohort study with 44 morbid obese patients operated on between July 2001 and April 2005. The operation performed was a gastric by pass Roux-en-Y with silicon ring. Medical tests were conducted at different times: preoperatively, six months after the operation and during the years 2006 and 2007. The examinations performed were: fasting glucose, serum albumin, total cholesterol, hemoglobin, fecal fat, reducing substance in stool, occult blood in the stool. Endoscopy was also performed to measure the ring in centimeters. Also studied were the gender, age, height, weight, BMI, diabetes, and time after operation. RESULTS: The initial weight ranged from 91 to 216 kg (Md = 141 kg) and BMI at this stage was between 36,3 and 80,3 kg/m² (Md = 49,28 kg/m²). Anemia manifested in eight patients (18,2%) and 13 (29,5%) had albumin with reduced values. Follow-up ranged from 32 to 79 months (X = 52,5 months, SD = 8,8). The final weight ranged from 60,3 to 122,9 kg (mean = 83,95 kg, 1º and 3º quartile = 75,7 and 83,95) and BMI was between 24,62 and 45,54 kg/m² (mean = 31,69 kg/m², 1º and 3º quartile = 28,93 and 35,89). The percentage of weight reduction at this stage was 36,31% (p>0,001), one patient had weight gain, in three (6,8%) patients the albumin level was reduced and nine had anemia. The faecal fat was positive in 16 patients (36,4%), reducing substance in stool was positive in one patient and the presence of faecal occult blood was positive in 13 patients (29,5%). The internal diameter of the silicon ring was between 0,45 and 1,4 cm (mean 0,75, SD = 0,22). CONCLUSION: After surgery there is a significant weight loss, but the BMI is still above 35 kg/m² in 26 patients (59%), followed for a long time. There is a substantial improvement in cholesterol and glucose blood levels. The diameter of ring in the small stomach showed no significant association with weight reduction, while patients with greater than 1 cm ring did not show anemia or low levels of albumin, clinically better than those with rings smaller than 1 cm.
Obesity; Postoperative; Bariatric Surgery
