Bariatric Surgery Among Patients with End-Stage Kidney Disease – Improving Access to Transplantation

Morbid obesity (body mass index ≥35 kg/m2) is both common and growing among patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) in the United States. An estimated 20% of adult ESKD patients live with morbid obesity, representing over 140,000 people [1]. Due in part to poor post-operative outcomes, these patients have limited access to transplantation, as most transplant centers utilize a body mass index cutoff of 35-40 kg/m2 [2-4]. Many of these patients remain relegated to long-term dialysis with an estimated survival of less than 50% at 5 years compared to greater than 85% with a kidney transplant [5-8].
Source: Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases - Category: Surgery Authors: Source Type: research