Bariatric surgery is safe during COVID-19 pandemic

Background: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has massively affected bariatric surgical practises across the world. Aim: This report aims to show the effects of the pandemic on bariatric practices in the UK during the early phase of the pandemic. Methods: Bariatric surgeons in United Kingdom (UK) were contacted;seven bariatric units and 20 collaborators agreed to participate in this project. The data includes patients' demographics, type and number of operations, bariatric endoscopic procedures, management of complications, emergency and revisional bariatric surgery. Statistical analysis was used to assess the differences among the categories and to compare the data to the 6th report outcomes provided by British Obesity and the Metabolic Surgery Society 2017-2018 (NBSR). Further analysis of mortality between pre pandemic era and June 2020-June 2021 was performed. Results: A total of 430 bariatric procedures were conducted from 1 January 2020 to 31 March 2020 in seven hospitals in UK. The mean age of the patients was 43.3 years. The mean body mass index was 46.75 kg/m2. 314 (73%) of the patients were women and 116 (27%) were men. The following procedures were performed: 118 (27.4%) Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy (LSG), 114 (26.5%) One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass (OAGB), 76 (17.6%) Roux En-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB), 61 (14.18%) Gastric Balloon and 15 (3.5%) Adjustable Gastric Band. 176 bariatric endoscopy procedures were performed for different indications. 26 (6.04%) revisional surgeries and 20 (4.6%) emergency bariatric surgeries were performed. 24 (5.58%) patients had Grade I-IV Clavien-Dindo complications. No mortality was reported. There was a significant difference in the number of operations for each of LSG, RYGB and OAGB in these seven hospitals compared to the data provided by the British Obesity and Metabolic Surgery Society (BOMSS) 2017-2018 .Only one patient was diagnosed with COVID-19, who was successfully treated and discharged home. Only one mortality was reported during June 2020 untill June 2021.There was no significant difference in moratlity between pre and post pandemic, p>0.5. Conclusions: This data reveals safe bariatric practices during the early phase of COVID-19. Copyright © Celsius Publishing House.