Factors Associated With Loss to Follow-up After Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

Purpose: After bariatric surgery, postoperative follow-up is important for evaluating long-term outcomes, such as successful weight loss and improvement of metabolic parameters. However, many patients are lost to follow-up within 1 year. This study aimed to identify the follow-up rate of bariatric surgery and predictive factors of loss to follow-up (LTF).

Materials and methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 61 patients receiving bariatric surgery for obesity (laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy; LSG group) and 872 for early gastric cancer (EGC group) from November 2018 to July 2020 in a single center. After 1:1 matching, we compared the LTF rate. In the LSG group, we analyzed the factors associated with LTF. Additionally, we collected weight data in the LTF group by a telephone survey.

Results: By 1:1 matching, 47 patients for each group were identified. The LTF rates of the LSG and EGC groups were 34.0% (16 patients) and 2.1% (one patient), respectively (P=0.0003). In the LSG group, the LTF rate increased over the postoperative month. Of the patients, 29.5% who missed a scheduled appointment within one year comprised the LTF group. In the analysis, no significant factors associated with LTF were identified. The only factor with borderline significance was dyslipidemia with medication (P=0.094).

Conclusion: The LSG group demonstrated a high LTF rate, although adherence to follow-up was closely related to postoperative outcomes. Therefore, educating patients on the significance of follow-up is important. Particularly, continuous efforts to identify the associated factors and develop a multidisciplinary management protocol after bariatric surgery are necessary.