Pre-Operative Bacterial Testing and Treatment
Prevalence of Helicobacter Pylori Among Patients for Bariatric Surgery
| Bariatric Surgery information Pre-Operative Bacterial Testing and Treatment |
Prevalence of Helicobacter Pylori Among Patients for Bariatric Surgery |
Guide to Weight Loss Surgery - Research Into Gastric Reduction Surgery |
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Pre-Operative Bacterial Testing and Treatment According to an article in The Archives of Surgery, the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (a type of bacteria associated with gastrointestinal disorders) is high among patients about to undergo weight loss surgery, and treatment to eradicate the bacterial infection before surgery may be beneficial. Increase in Demand for Bariatric Operations The number of obese and morbidly obese Americans is steadily increasing, according to background information in the article. It is estimated that more than 30 percent of the U.S. population has a body mass index (BMI) over 30 (obese), and five percent of the U.S. population has a BMI over 40, resulting in a increased demand for weight loss surgery, including gastric bypass surgery (surgery that results in food bypassing much of the intestinal tract). Helicobacter Pylori Infection Rates Twenty to 50 percent of people living in industrialized countries are infected with H pylori, which is believed to be involved in gastroduodenal ulcer disease (a gastrointestinal tract disease characterized by ulcers in the stomach and upper intestinal tract, or foregut), in addition to gastric cancer, according to the article. The role of H pylori after gastric bypass surgery is unknown. Study Archana Ramaswamy, M.D., from Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, and colleagues examined 99 bariatric patients between September 2001 and September 2002 as part of an pre-operative evaluation for weight loss surgery. The patients (16 men and 83 women; average age 40 years; average BMI, 48) underwent routine testing before their weight loss surgeries, including testing for the presence of H pylori. Results Before surgery, 24 percent of the patients tested positive for the H pylori infection. Of those who tested positive for H pylori, 48 percent showed significant upper gastrointestinal tract symptoms indicative of H pylori infection after surgery, while similar symptoms were present in 19 percent of the H pylori-negative group. Those with prolonged symptoms who tested positive for the infection were given treatment to eliminate the infection. Conclusion The prevalence of H pylori infection in patients undergoing weight loss surgery is high, and a significant proportion of them have postoperative foregut symptoms. Consideration should be given to H pylori treatment in these patients. Source: Stomach Bypass Surgery Information |