Evaluating the need for dermatological care in a postsurgical bariatric sample

Abstract

Background: Bariatric surgery rates are increasing in tandem with obesity in the United States. patients after surgery bariatric can lose up to or more than one-third of their excess weight within the first year. This sudden loss of weight can lead to skin redundancy and increased susceptibility to dermatological issues. There is a paucity of literature addressing the issue of skin redundancy and associated factors following bariatric surgery.

Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence and severity of dermatological concerns among postbariatric surgery patients and assess the impact of these issues on patients' quality of life.

Setting: Surgical Weight Loss Clinic at an academic medical center in south-central Pennsylvania.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered from September 9 to November 30, 2020 to adult postoperative patients. Data were collected via self-report questionnaires with a retest issued approximately 72 hours later. The survey included questions regarding occurrences of skin disturbances and the Dermatology Life Quality Index. All analyses were conducted using SAS version 9.4.

Results: A total of 575 patients were invited to participate, with 103 participating and 69 completing the retest. The health questionnaire indicated that 69.6% of patients had challenges with skin rashes or irritation due to loose skin; 80.6% were interested in having skin removal surgery; and only 5.8% were referred to a dermatologist for their concerns.

Conclusion: The presence of skin concerns was associated with impaired HRQOL among postbariatric patients. This suggests a need to further educate the bariatric interdisciplinary team to evaluate the impacts of skin pathology on postbariatric patients.

Keywords: Bariatric surgery; Cross-sectional survey; Dermatology; Dermatoses; Health-related quality of life; Skin redundancy.