Medical professionals have long known that obesity is a risk factor for poor clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Consequently, a Cleveland Clinic study 1 sought to find out the relationship between bariatric surgery and severe COVID-19 cases. Their research indicates that prior bariatric surgery, with subsequent weight loss, is significantly related to lower rates of hospital and ICU admissions for SARS-CoV-2.

In a video review study published in JAMA Surgery in December 2020, Karan Chhabra, MD, and colleagues assessed surgeons’ various technical approaches to bariatric surgery. These techniques included approaches to dissecting the proximal stomach, sleeve caliber, sleeve anatomy, staple line enforcement, and lead testing.