ABSTRACT
As the epidemic of pediatric obesity has been increasingly documented, and the efficacy and safety of bariatric surgery for adults have also become evident, more consideration has been given to bariatric procedures for clinically severely obese adolescents. Over the past 30 years, many bariatric procedures with various modifications have been introduced, including intestinal bypass (jejunocolic or jejunoileal), loop gastric bypass, horizontal and vertical gastroplasty, Roux-enY gastric bypass (RYGBP), biliopancreatic diversion (with or without duodenal switch), and, most recently, adjustable gastric banding. From the very beginning of the subspecialty of bariatric surgery, the goal of operation was either to restrict the intake of nutrients or to interfere with the absorption of nutrients that are ingested, or both. The long-term goal is to maintain a degree of weight reduction that improves or eliminates obesity-related comorbidities or decreases the risk of future obesity-related medical complications and death.
