Praisuda Bualoy

Background/Objective: Bariatric surgery is an established treatment for individuals with severe obesity, providing sustained weight loss and improvement in obesity-related comorbidities. However, evidence on long-term outcomes and predictors of metabolic resolution, particularly among Asian populations, remains limited. We aimed to evaluate metabolic outcomes after bariatric surgery and identify predictive factors associated with remission. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 581 patients who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SG) or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) at a tertiary care center between January 2012 and December 2022. Surgical techniques, postoperative follow-up, and baseline characteristics were recorded. Remission and improvement of metabolic comorbidities were assessed during 1–5 years of follow-up. Predictive factors were analyzed, and remission rates between SG and RYGB were compared using propensity score matching. Results: A total of 154 (26.5%) individuals had type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), 162 (27.8%) hypertension (HT), 173 (29.7%) dyslipidemia (DLP), and 407 (70.0%) metabolic syndrome (MetS). Remission occurred in 79.1% of individuals with T2DM, 36.0% with HT, 33.9% with DLP, and 79.6% with MetS. Predictive factors included T2DM duration < 3 years, younger age for HT and DLP remission, male sex, body mass index < 43 kg/m², and fasting blood glucose level < 126 mg/dL for MetS. RYGB achieved higher remission of DLP than did SG, whereas other outcomes were comparable. Conclusions: Bariatric surgery effectively improves metabolic comorbidities, and several predictive factors influence outcomes. RYGB resulted in superior remission of DLP, while other metabolic outcomes were comparable between the two procedures.

Background: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), a common treatment for symptomatic gallstones, has demonstrated safety in low-risk patients. However, existing data are scarce regarding the safety of LC in high-risk patients and the feasibility of early hospital discharge. Materials and methods: This retrospective study included 2296 patients diagnosed with symptomatic gallstones who underwent LC at a tertiary care centre from January 2009 through December 2019. The authors employed propensity score matching to mitigate bias between groups. Statistical significance was set at P less than 0.05. Results: The median age of the patients was 56 years (range 46–67), with a mean BMI of 25.2±4.3 kg/m². Patients were classified as: American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) I (19.7%), II (68.3%), III (12.0%), and IV (0%). ASA I–II included low surgical risk patients (88%) and ASA III–IV comprised high-risk patients (12%). The LC-related 30-day reoperative rate was 0.2% and the readmission rate was 0.87%. Nine patients (0.4%) sustained major bile duct injuries, resulting in a conversion rate of 2.4%. The postoperative mortality rate was 0.04%, and the mean hospitalization time was 3.5 days. Patients in the high-risk group with a history of acute cholecystitis exhibited greater estimated blood loss, longer operative times, and were significantly more likely to be in the longer-stay group. Conclusion: These findings suggest that LC can be conducted safely on high-risk patients, and early hospital discharge is achievable. However, specific factors, such as a history of acute cholecystitis, may result in prolonged hospitalization owing to increased blood loss and longer operative times.