Background: Specific data is needed to safely expand bariatric surgery and to preserve good surgical outcomes in response to the non-stop increase in obesity prevalence worldwide.
Objective: The aims of this study are to provide an overview of the baseline characteristics, type of surgery, and 30-day postoperative morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing bariatric surgery in Spanish public hospitals, and evaluate changes throughout the 2000-2014 period.
Material and methods: This is a descriptive study using data from the RICIBA, a computerized multicenter and multidisciplinary registry created by the Obesity Group of the Endocrinology and Nutrition Spanish Society. Three periods according to the date of surgery were created: January 2000 to December 2004 (G1), January 2005 to December 2009 (G2), and January 2010 to December 2014 (G3).
Results: Data from 3843 patients were available (44.8 ± 10.5 years, a 3:1 female-to-male ratio, 46.9 ± 8.2 kg/m(2)). Throughout the 15-year period assessed, candidate patients for bariatric surgery were progressively older and less obese, with an increase in associated comorbidities and in the prevalence of men. The global trend also showed a progressive decrease in Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, the most performed bariatric procedure (75.1 % in G1, 69.3 % in G2, and 42.6 % in G3; p < 0.001), associated with a parallel increase in sleeve gastrectomy (0.8 % in G1, 18.1 % in G2, and 39.6 % in G3; p < 0.001). An overall mortality rate of 0.3 % was reported.
Conclusions: Data from Spain is similar to data observed worldwide. Information recorded in the National Registries like RICIBA is necessary in order to safely expand bariatric surgery in response to increasing demand.
Keywords: Bariatric surgery; Obesity; Procedures; Registry; Spain; Trends.