ORIGINAL ARTICLE  TECHNICAL CHALLENGE IN BARIATRIC SURGERY Free access

Minerva Surgery 2021 February;76(1):57-61

DOI: 10.23736/S2724-5691.20.08706-4

Copyright © 2020 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

Telematics pre-operative psychological and nutritional assessment in candidates for bariatric surgery during COVID-19 phase 2: a pilot prospective observational study

Laura PIERRO ¹ ✉, Ilenia COLUZZI ², Alberto DI BIASIO ², Emanuela PAONE ², Laura SCAPPATICCI ³, Danila CAPOCCIA ⁴, Francesco DE ANGELIS ², Angelo IOSSA ², Cristian E. BORU ², Carlo LAI ¹, Gianfranco SILECCHIA ²

¹ Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; ² Division of General Surgery and Bariatric Center of Excellence IFSO EC, Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy; ³ Rome Obesity Center, Rome, Italy; ⁴ Diabetes Unit, Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Santa Maria Goretti Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy

BACKGROUND: Obesity represents a risk factor for COVID-19 infection. Therefore, in order to reduce COVID-19 related comorbidities in obese population a continuation of obesity treatment is needed. However, bariatric procedures were postponed because of COVID-19 restrictions, delaying treatment for obese patients seeking for surgery. This study aimed to test the feasibility of a telematics pre-operative psychological and nutritional assessment as an alternative tool during COVID-19 outbreak.
METHODS: Twenty-six patients were contacted. The pre-operative assessment consisted in 3-weekly one-to-one online sessions and a final in-person multidisciplinary session. The protocol feasibility has been evaluated on the following outcome: rejection rate (%), dropout rate (%), compliance and satisfaction’s degree.
RESULTS: Eighteen participants completed the whole protocol and 10% dropped-out. Seventy-two percent of participants obtained an excess weight loss ≥5%. All participants were satisfied of the telematics assessment.
CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 emergency has changed standard hospital procedures and this study could represent a landmark for an online pre-operative assessment method to adopt in case of new restrictions.

KEY WORDS: COVID-19; Bariatric surgery; Telemedicine