Trends in Bariatric Surgery: A Five-Year Review of Procedure Volumes and Practice Changes Involving Over One Million Cases
By
Mélissa V. Wills
Xinlei Zhu
Doua Elamin
Ricard Corcelles
Matthew Kroh
Jerry Dang
Andrew Strong
Salvador Navarrete
Valentin Mocanu
July 15, 2026
Clinical Scorecard: Trends in Bariatric Surgery: A Five-Year Review of Procedure Volumes and Practice Changes Involving Over One Million Cases
At a Glance
Category Detail
Condition Bariatric Surgery Key Mechanisms Surgical interventions for obesity and associated comorbidities. Target Population Patients with obesity and related comorbidities eligible for bariatric surgery. Care Setting Accredited metabolic and bariatric surgery centers.
Key Highlights
Bariatric surgery volumes increased from 8,600 in 1993 to 256,000 in 2019. Only approximately 1% of eligible patients undergo bariatric surgery. Female predominance in procedures increased from 81.73% to 82.48% from 2020 to 2024. Racial and ethnic diversity among patients increased significantly during the study period. Mean body mass index remained stable at around 44.7 kg/m². Guideline-Based Recommendations
Diagnosis
Assessment of obesity and related comorbidities to determine eligibility for surgery. Management
Selection of appropriate surgical procedure based on patient characteristics and comorbidities. Monitoring & Follow-up
Postoperative monitoring for complications such as anastomotic leak and readmission. Risks
Potential complications include cardiac issues, pneumonia, and venous thromboembolism. Patient & Prescribing Data
Patients undergoing primary, revisional, or conversion bariatric procedures.
Procedures include sleeve gastrectomy, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, and others.
Clinical Best Practices
Centralization of procedures to accredited centers to improve safety. Utilization of standardized pre-, intra-, and postoperative protocols. Related Resources & Content
