DOI: https://doi.org/10.36347/sasjs.2026.v12i09.002

Pages: 744-749

Background and Objective: Bariatric surgery is currently established as the gold standard treatment for morbid obesity. This study aims to evaluate the surgical practices, morbidity, mortality, and clinical outcomes of this discipline at the Victor Jousselin Regional Hospital in Dreux over a seven-year period (from July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2023). Materials and Methods: This is a single-center, descriptive, and retrospective study involving a consecutive cohort of 163 patients who underwent bariatric surgery. Results: The cohort comprised 126 females and 37 males, with a mean age of 41.4 years. The mean preoperative body mass index (BMI) was 42.1 kg/m², with 64% of the patients suffering from morbid obesity. At least one obesity-related comorbidity was documented in 87.1% of the individuals. Sleeve gastrectomy was the preferred surgical intervention (87% of cases), followed by Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (13%). The mean length of hospital stay was 3.3 days, associated with an early morbidity rate of 1.8% and zero mortality. Medium-term follow-up demonstrated a mean absolute weight loss of 34.7 kg at one year, 33.7 kg at three years, and 25.8 kg at five years. Complete remission of type 2 diabetes mellitus was observed in 57.1% of cases. Conclusion: Experiencing rapid expansion in developed countries, bariatric surgery demonstrates substantial metabolic and weight loss benefits while maintaining an excellent safety profile within a regional hospital setting. These findings advocate for the democratization of this comprehensive care in regional reference centers, particularly in developing countries where it remains marginal.