Open AccessBariatric Surgery: An Evolving Field
Author(s) -
Wolfe Bruce
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
world journal of surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.115
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1432-2323
pISSN - 0364-2313
DOI - 10.1007/s00268-009-0136-x
Subject(s) - abdominal surgery , vascular surgery , medicine , cardiothoracic surgery , cardiac surgery , general surgery , surgery
It is appropriate that John G. Hunter, Editor of the World Journal of Surgery, requested a symposium devoted to Bariatric Surgery. The obesity epidemic has indeed become a worldwide problem [1]. For multiple reasons the number of bariatric procedures presently being performed in the United States and internationally has accelerated dramatically in recent years. The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery estimates that 220,000 procedures were performed in 2008 in the United States alone [2]. This dramatic increase in the number of bariatric surgical procedures can be attributed to the reasons outlined below.