Preoperative Check List

The primary objectives of bariatric surgery are to improve obesity-related comorbidities and quality of life. The success of the bariatric surgical procedure relies not only on the technical expertise of the surgeon, but also on the proper preoperative evaluation and management of the patient’s comorbid conditions.

In the preoperative setting, the bariatric surgeon should utilize a multidisciplinary approach for assessment and optimization of the various weightrelated comorbidities of the bariatric patient. Once diagnostic studies have been reviewed, the surgeon can properly determine the patient’s candidacy for surgery, assess the patient’s surgical risk, and take preventive measures to minimize morbidity and mortality.

In addition to patient education, nutritional assessment, and evaluation of routine preoperative studies, a bariatric surgeon may recommend psychiatric and medical subspecialty consultation. Although the preoperative checklist serves as a reference guide for bariatric surgeons, each patient’s case is unique and may require additional diagnostic studies.

The process of patient selection for bariatric surgery is unique for each surgeon because of the variation in a surgeon’s bariatric surgical experience, personnel, hospital resources, and support.