A 7-Year Study of the Durability of Improvements in Pain, Physical Function, and Work Productivity After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass and Sleeve Gastrectomy

Key Points Question Do adults experience long-term clinically important improvements (CIIs) in pain and physical function after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and sleeve gastrectomy (SG)? Findings Among 1491 US adults who underwent RYGB or SG, 43% had CIIs in bodily pain and 64% had CIIs in physical function 7 years after surgery. Most participants with preoperative symptoms indicative of osteoarthritis of the knee or hip had CIIs (65%-72%), and 41% of participants with an objectively defined mobility deficit no longer had one. Meaning In this study, despite aging, participants commonly experienced CIIs in bodily and joint-specific pain and physical function 7 years after undergoing RYGB or SG.