Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy Then and Now: An Updated Systematic Review of the Progress and Short-term Outcomes Over the Last 5 Years

Introduction and Aim: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is considered one of the most popular bariatric surgeries of the present time. This review aimed to evaluate the progress and short-term outcomes of LSG over the last 5 years. Methods: The systematic review of electronic databases revealed 27 relevant articles, which were carefully assessed. The data extracted from the studies were analyzed and compared with data reported by a previous review published in 2010. Results: A total of 5218 patients were included in this review with a mean age of 41.1. The average preoperative body mass index (43.8 +/- 8) significantly dropped at 12 months to 30.7 +/- 3.9. The average percentage of excess weight loss at 1 year was 67.3. The mean rates of remission of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and dyslipidemia were 81.9%, 66.5%, and 64.1%, respectively. The mean complication rate across the studies was 8.7% and the average mortality rate was 0.3%. A significant drop in post-operative body mass index, higher percentage of excess weight loss, and significantly lower overall complication rate were observed in comparison with the previous systematic review. Conclusions: LSG continues to achieve satisfactory weight loss and improvement of obesity-related comorbidities with acceptably low morbidity and mortality rates.