"Patients who are morbidly obese already face great health risks and bariatric surgery can be a life-saving option," said Prateek K. Gupta, MD, general surgery resident at Creighton University Medical Center, Omaha, NE, and the study's lead author. "The risk calculator will aid patients in better preparing for their operation by understanding the true risks and benefits of a bariatric procedure. It will also assist the surgeon and patient in choosing the type of bariatric procedure. While the risk of death after bariatric operations is extremely low, obese patients are at an increased risk of postoperative complications, making the risk calculator particularly useful."

Available online here for free download, this new risk calculator allows surgeons to accurately model and predict exact patient postoperative morbidities, which include wound infections, sepsis, heart attack, kidney failure, lung failure, and other conditions.

"Surgical decision making and informed consent rely on accurate information about surgical risks," stated R. Armour Forse, MD, FACS, a bariatric surgeon at Creighton University Medical Center and study co-author. "Making sure our patients understand their procedure and any associated risks involved, is an extremely important, but sometimes difficult conversation. Using this tool correctly should help patients feel more at ease with the process and potential outcomes knowing that their physician is being open with them."

Source: Eurekalert