Wouter Leclercq

Chapter 5 82 RESULTS Patient characteristics The total cohort of young adults consisted of 55 patients. Mean age at surgery was 22.8 ± 1.9 years and mean Body Mass Index (BMI) during screening was 43.3 ± 6.1 kg/m 2 . Mean BMI reduction was 11.7 ± 3.1 kg/m 2 , 14.8 ± 4.2 kg/m 2 and 15.2 ± 5.1 kg/m 2 at 6 months, 1 and 2 years follow-up respectively. Twenty-seven out of the 55 patients, mostly female, participated in a semi-structured interview (Figure 5.3). The baseline characteristics are stated in Table 5.1. Twenty-two patients received a primary Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB), 4 patients received a RYGB after gastric banding and 1 patient received an adjustable gastric band (primary). Mean BMI reduction was 11.1 ± 2.2 kg/m 2 , 14.4 ± 4.1 kg/m 2 and 15.4 ± 5.0 kg/m 2 at 6 months, 1 and 2 years follow-up respectively. The mean time lapse between surgery and the interview was 2.9 ± 1.7 years after the bariatric surgery. Education concerning weight loss and health benefits The received education regarding the positive effects of bariatric surgery on weight loss was rated sufficient by the study cohort (Figure 5.4). Patients mentioned that the preoperative education focused primarily on the positive effects of bariatric surgery and that the negative effects were not given adequate attention. Some patients mentioned that they only remembered the positive effects, as this was what they wanted to hear. Other patients gave specific feedback on the education regarding the expectations of weight loss. Comments were that the formula to calculate their expected weight loss can be really informative but it also creates a certain expectation which cannot always be achieved. The latter should be explained more thoroughly. All young adults knew about the positive effects on Type II Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and the majority (23/27) also knew the positive effects on the cardiovascular risk profile. Four patients mentioned that the education about the health benefits emphasizes sleep apnea, joint pain and T2DM and that the education regarding the cardiovascular risk profile is inadequate. Education concerning complications Only 3 young adults could recall all the complications that were educated. In general, the most common complications were known, but there were some striking differences. For example, a wound infection was not known by 10 young adults and about half of the patients could not recall the complication anemia (Figure 5.5A-5.5B).