Evaluation of the Care Provided to Patients Who Underwent Bariatric Surgery and Were Lost to Follow-up 5 Years After Surgery

In 2025, bariatric surgery combined with nutritional and psychological support is one of the most effective treatments for patients with morbid obesity. (2)(3) However, it causes various deficiencies, such as vitamin and iron deficiencies, which justify lifelong personalised vitamin supplementation and, consequently, lifelong medical supervision. The latest recommendations from the French National Authority for Health (Haute Autorité de Santé) clearly state that patients must commit to lifelong medical follow-up after bariatric surgery. (HAS, February 2024, R94). R94. Regular biological monitoring after bariatric surgery is recommended: three times in the first year and then once or twice a year thereafter. Within the OBESEPI cohort (clinical trial number NCT02663388), which comprises patients who underwent surgery at Nancy University Hospital between 2013 and 2018, we observed that over 50% of patients were lost to follow-up five years after surgery.