Bariatric Surgery Safety Improves, But Progress Stalls

Bariatric surgery has significantly enhanced safety, evidenced by a 40% reduction in 90-day mortality over 15 years and declining severe complications. Among 486,161 procedures, sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass remain prevalent. However, improvements have plateaued since 2018, signaling a need for fresh optimization strategies. Notably, postoperative medication use has shifted, with analgesic and antidepressant prescriptions falling sharply while laxatives surged. These trends underline the potential for further advancement in surgical intervention for obesity.