Abstract
Background
Although metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) remains the most effective and durable treatment for obesity and metabolic disease, the introduction of next generation obesity modifying medications (OMM) may be affecting MBS case volumes. The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) established a Numbers Taskforce to estimate annual rates of MBS in the United States to better understand procedural, temporal and geographic variation in MBS utilization.
Objective
To provide an accurate estimate of MBS performed in the United States from 2022-2024.
Setting
Bariatric Surgery Programs in the United States of America
Methods
Data from the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) registry along with state-specific registries were used. Procedure specific annual volume of both inpatient and outpatient cases was included. Estimated national volume for 2024 was calculated by using a multiplier that was determined by comparing actual volume reported by state-specific data registries to state-specific volume from the MBSAQIP registry.
Results
A total of 976 MBSAQIP programs performed 176,317 MBS cases in 2024. Estimated 2024 total volume of all accredited and non-accredited US volume is 200,667 MBS cases. Among centers who had continuous MBSAQIP participation from 2022-2024 (n=883), there was a decrease in volume of 6.2% from 2022-2023 and 19.9% from 2023-2024, for a total decrease from of 24.8% during the study period. From 2023 to 2024, only 2 states experienced a volume growth over 5% and only 2 states maintained within 5% of their 2023 volume. A total of 36 states experiencing a volume drop of more than 15% and states with the highest rates of obesity experienced a decline of more than 30%.
Conclusions
In 2024, MBS procedure volume in the United States decreased by nearly 25% compared to 2022 with 72% of the states experiencing a volume drop of more than 15%. States with the highest obesity rates also had the greatest decline in procedural volumes, which represents a need to prioritize advocacy for bariatric surgical care.
Authors
- C. Joe Northup, MD
- Vance L. Albaugh, MD PhD
- Ben Clapp, MD
- Christopher S. Hollenbeak, PhD
- Richard M. Peterson, MD
- John M. Morton, MD
- Jason M. Samuels, MD
- Oliver A. Varban, MD
- Tammy Lyn Kindel, MD PhD