US national trends in bariatric surgery: A decade of study

Abstract

Background: Since the 1990s, the number of bariatric surgeries has dramatically increased, including the number of bariatric centers in the United States; no recent studies have yet assessed trends of bariatric surgery. This study aims to assess the trends of bariatric surgery and the change in utilization by the type of surgery, from 2006 to 2015, using real-world data.

Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of MarketScan databases of privately insured beneficiaries aged equal to or more than 18 years, to assess the annual incidence rate of bariatric surgery type of surgery from 2006 to 2015. Linear regression analysis was used to assess the significance of bariatric surgery changes over time.

Results: A gradual increase in overall bariatric surgery was observed from 43.5 per 100,000 in 2006 to 70.6 per 100,000 in 2009. This increasing trend plateaued from 2010 to 2015. Among all bariatric surgeries performed, the sleeve gastrectomy showed a significant increase from (n = 596) 11% in 2006 to (n = 15,425) 70% in 2015 (P < .001), whereas there was a decrease in Roux-en-Y from (n = 10,129) 45% in 2010 to (n = 5074) 24% in 2015 (P < .001).

Conclusion: Utilization of bariatric surgery showed a gradual increase in the first 5 years, with steady rates in the last 5 years of the study period. Sleeve gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y remain the most performed bariatric procedures. Laparoscopic surgery continues to dominate bariatric surgery compared with open surgery.