Impact of Abdominal Lipectomy on Post-Sleeve Gastrectomy Surgery Weight Loss

Background: Abdominal lipectomy after bariatric surgery is recommended because of residual excess skin resulting in difficulty with maintaining hygiene, recurrent infections, and functional impairment, interfering with daily activities. There is a dearth of literature examining weight loss outcomes in patients undergoing abdominal lipectomy post sleeve gastrectomy (SG). The purpose of this study was to examine whether post-SG patients who received abdominal lipectomy achieved greater percent excess weight loss (%EWL) than post-SG patients who did not receive abdominal lipectomy. Methods: Retrospective study of patients who underwent minimally invasive SG at the University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System from March 2008 to June 2015 was conducted. The cohort was divided into 2 groups: patients who underwent abdominal lipectomy after SG (PS-SG) and patients who underwent SG alone (SG). Demographics, comorbidities, and %EWL were examined. Results: Twenty-nine patients were included in the PS-SG group versus 287 patients in the SG group. Significant differences were found in %EWL at 24 (P