The Relationship Between Presurgical Pain and Early Postbariatric Surgery Outcomes

Background: Individuals with obesity frequently contend with pain, but few studies address the clinical impact of comorbidity within this population. This study compared the early weight loss outcomes and complications of bariatric surgery for participants with and without presurgical pain. Methods: A retrospective analysis of data stored in a registry of patients who had undergone bariatric surgery was conducted. Patients completed a routine preoperative psychological and medical evaluation. Participants were grouped based upon the presence of at least one pain condition and/or pain site: pain (n = 184) or no pain (n = 30). Participants completed questionnaires regarding 21 psychological and 17 medical complications and reported their weights at their 1- and 3-month postoperative psychological appointments. Results: The majority of the final sample (n = 214) identified as 69% female and 66% Caucasian. Contrary to the hypothesis, results indicated no significant mean differences in 1- and 3-month postoperative medical and psychological complications, or percentage excess and total weight loss between the groups. Conclusions: In the early postoperative period, participants with preoperative pain and comorbid obesity lose weight and experience complications to a degree comparable with participants without preoperative pain. Implications for clinical interventions and future research are discussed.