ASPS Study Links Nutrition With Success of Post-Bariatric Surgery

In the latest issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, a study revealed that nutritional health of surgery patients can play a major role in the success of healing and the likelihood of complications. Especially regarding cases of extreme weight loss, the study found that special supplements can probably decrease complications and improve healing.

Pittsburgh plastic surgeon and post-bariatric body lift specialist Dr. Dennis Hurwitz co-authored the study and said that "body contouring procedures for massive weight loss patients are major operations with large incisions in many areas that demand a lot of the body during the healing process" and he even went as far as to say that he "won't do body contouring procedures on this patient population without a preoperative regimen of nutritional supplements."

Data for the study was taken from as far back as the 1940s, but also focused on recent patients who had undergone massive weight loss and body contouring. Out of 75 patients, 66 percent who didn't take nutritional supplements had complications.

The results of the study indicate that there were major correlations between massive weight loss (with inadequate calorie/protein intake), malnutrition and the likelihood of experiencing complications and wound healing problems.

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