Weight-loss surgery safe, but sleep apnea increases risk

Weight-loss surgery isn't risk-free, but a new study suggests that in the hands of a skilled surgeon, it may be safer than previously thought. However, some people -- including those with sleep apnea or a history of blood clots -- are more likely to have problems with surgery than others, according to a study published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine.

"The overall conclusion that we reached is that bariatric-surgery safety is actually quite good," said Dr. Bruce Wolfe, a professor of surgery at the Oregon Health and Science University.

In the past, bariatric procedures have been associated with death rates of 2 to 3 percent and complication rates of up to 24 percent. However, the obesity epidemic is fueling a rise in such surgeries, prompting concerns about their safety. In 2005, 171,000 people underwent bariatric surgery, more than 10 times the number that had the procedure in 1994.

To assess the safety of such operations, Wolfe and his colleagues looked at 4,776 patients in the first month after having a bariatric procedure. They found that 4.3 percent of patients had a serious problem, such as a blood clot or needing another operation, and 0.3 percent, or 15 patients, died within a month after surgery -- a complication rate similar to other types of surgery.

Four main factors seemed to increase the risk of complications, including sleep apnea, severe obesity, a history of blood clots, and an inability to walk at least 200 feet prior to surgery. Health.com: 10 easy food swaps cut cholesterol, not Taste

Sleep apnea is a common disorder in the obese (about half of the patients in the study had the condition). Excess weight in the neck region can contribute to sleep apnea, which is characterized by snoring and the collapse of the upper airway during sleep, sometimes hundreds of times a night.