Bariatric Analysis and Reporting Outcome System (BAROS) Applied to Laparoscopic Gastric Banding Patients

Background: The definition of success and failure of a bariatric procedure should include weight loss as well as improvement in comorbidity and quality of life assessment. The Bariatric Analysis and Reporting Outcome System (BAROS), introduced by Oria and Moorhead in 1997, seems to provide a standard for comparison in the surgical treatment of morbid obesity. Methods: 180 morbidly obese and super-obese patients, who underwent laparoscopic gastric banding (lap-band) at our institutions and had a follow-up > 18 months (19-55 months) were evaluated with BAROS. Results: The patients were divided into four outcome groups (failure, fair, good, and excellent) based on a scoring table that adds or subtracts points while evaluating three main areas: percentage of excess weight loss, changes in medical conditions, and assessment of quality of life. Points were deducted for complications and reoperative surgery. Conclusions: The BAROS outcome system has proved to be a useful instrument in evaluating midterm results in our series of lap-band patients.