The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) has released new guidelines for lap-band surgery on teenagers. These new guidelines for bariatric surgery address issues specific to young people.
RACP Fellow Professor Louise Baur, chair of the working party which developed the policy said, “…young people suffering severe obesity require high quality clinical services. We need to protect young people from hasty measures, and the wider community needs to understand that some forms of bariatric surgery are irreversible and therefore have lifelong implications”.
She went on to say “The College recommends this type of surgery only be considered in adolescents 15 years and over, with a body mass index above 35 and who have had a range of complications from severe obesity. They should have gone through puberty and only then laparoscopic gastric banding (lap banding) should be considered, as it is a completely reversible procedure”.
The policy encourages surgeons and doctors to work with adolescents and their families, and if appropriate, incorporate gastric banding as part of an overall health plan aimed at managing the wider issues of obesity.
It is hoped that this new policy is used as a guiding principle by State and Federal governments as they consider financially assisting bariatric surgery.
Obesity has become a growing major public health issue and was included in The World Congress of Internal Medicine (WCIM) held in Melbourne recently, where sessions included “Ethics of Obesity”.
Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.
Leave A Comment