In recent years the number of bariatric surgery has markedly increased in industrial nations. Surgery provides a more rapid decrease of body weight than conservative approach. However a long term conservative follow up therapy is mandatory to stabilize reduced weight. Due to increasing knowledge from long term follow up of surgically treated obese patients there is a growing body of evidence that frequently there is necessity of reoperations and of substitution both of trace elementsand of minerals or vitamins due to their hampered enteral resorption. Additionally therapy of surgery induced endocrine alterations not seldom is necessary.These insights are of outstanding importance because meanwhile an enlargement of the indications for bariatric surgery as a therapeutic option for metabolic disorders is being discussed. This review refers to the recent internationally published papers concerning consequences of bariatric surgery.

On comparing surgical and conservative approaches in therapy for obesity it is accepted that there is a more rapid decline in body weight after surgery than by conservative measures. In contrast to widespread convictions, it has been shown that even in extreme obesity (BMI>60 kg/m²) both a meaningful and a long-lasting reduction of body weight is possible by conservative approach. There is an increasing body of evidence that bariatric surgery, especially malabsorptive and combined forms, causes endocrine disturbances and both vitamin and micronutrient deficiencies. Furthermore, alterations in drug pharmacokinetics are possible. Even bariatric surgeons have stated that surgery neither removes the chronic disease obesity nor is its final therapy.

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