A recent summary report finds there have been striking reductions in overall bariatric surgery risk.  The study period was from 2002-2009, and during that time the rate of serious adverse events dropped to about 1/10th of where it began.

Experts attribute these improved outcomes to several factors, that are mutually reinforcing:

1.  Surgical techniques and systems of care have improved.  Not only do patients see lower risk, but also quicker and more reliable recovery.
2.  Improved patient preparation.  Surgeons and their teams are becoming steadily better at finding and controlling the factors that could increase risk or slow recovery.
3.  Surgeons are seeing younger patients who are not quite so “ill” with the obesity disease.  This is a positive trend, because surgical intervention at an earlier stage of the disease leads to better long term health, lower risk around surgery, and quicker recovery.

The best news of all is that these positive trends show every sign of continuing over the next decade or more!