Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic in Patients with Bariatric Surgery

Objective: Bariatric surgery is one of the most effective treatments for morbid obesity. Postoperatively, patients should be followed up regularly. The objective of the study was to examine the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic in patients who have undergone bariatric surgery because of morbid obesity. Material and Methods: For the telephone survey, 157 patients aged 18--65 years who had bariatric surgery due to morbid obesity from 2015--2019 were contacted. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on weight gain in patients who underwent obesity surgery and the severity of the patients who had COVID-19 were investigated. The patients were evaluated nine months after the COVID- 19 pandemic started. Results: During the pandemic, weight gain was recorded in 94 patients (59.9%). Eating behavior was enhanced in 80 (51%) patients in total, from which 69 (73.4%) patients were in the weight gain group (p<0.001). COVID-19 was found in 21 (13.3%) patients;no intensive care was needed, and no mortality due to COVID-19 occurred. Conclusions: It was observed that patients who had bariatric surgery during the pandemic changed their diet and eating patterns, mostly resulting in weight gain. The follow-up of operated patients due to morbid obesity should not be interrupted during a pandemic like COVID-19. (English) [ FROM AUTHOR] Amaç: Bariatrik cerrahi, morbid obezite tedavisinde en etkili yöntemlerden biridir. Ameliyat olan hastalar postoperatif dönemde düzenli olarak takip edilmelidir. Bu çalışmada, morbid obezite nedeniyle bariatrik cerrahi uygulanan hastalarda COVID-19 pandemisinin etkisinin incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntemler: 2015-2019 yılları arasında morbid obezite nedeniyle obezite cerrahisi geçiren 18-65 yaş arası 157 hastaya telefon anketi için kişisel telefonları aranarak ulaşılmıştır. Hastalar aranarak obezite cerrahisi geçiren hastalarda COVID-19 pandemisinin kilo alımına etkisi ve COVID-19 geçiren kişilerde hastalığın şiddeti araştırılmıştır. Hastalar, COVID-19 Pandemisi başladıktan 9 ay sonra değerlendirilmiştir. Bulgular: Pandemi döneminde 94 hastada (%59.9) kilo artışı tespit edilmiştir Tüm hastaların 80'inde (%51), kilo alan hastaların ise 69'unda (%73.4) yeme davranışında artış saptanmıştır (p<0.001). COVID-19 21 (%13.3) hastada saptanmıştır. Bu hastaların hiçbirinde yoğun bakıma ihtiyaç duyulmamış ve vefat eden hasta olmamıştır. Sonuç: Pandemi döneminde obezite cerrahisi geçiren hastaların diyet ve beslenme alışkanlıklarında değişiklik olduğu ve buna bağlı olarak çoğunda kilo artışı meydana geldiği gözlenmiştir. COVID-19 gibi pandemi süreçlerinde morbid obezite nedeniyle ameliyat edilen hastaların takibine ara verilmemelidir. (Turkish) [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Turkish Journal of Endocrinology & Metabolism is the property of Galenos Yayinevi Tic. LTD. STI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)