An update on bariatric tourism: time for a national registry?

Baratric surgery is currently the most effective intervention for weight loss in obesity, as well as management of glycated hemoglobin and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in those obesity patients co-morbid with diabetes [1]. Given the effectiveness of such procedures, there is little question as to why we see an astounding increase in bariatric surgeries performed worldwide each year, from just over 146,000 in 2003, to over 468,000 in 2013 [2]. Increases in the performance of bariatric surgery have been met with large numbers of patients traveling abroad to seek treatment, a practice familiarly known as bariatric tourism, which is part of larger phenomenon known as medical tourism.
Source: Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases - Category: Surgery Authors: Tags: Controversies in bariatric surgery Source Type: research