Cannabis Use Disorder Was Linked to Double the Complication Risk and Longer Hospital Stays After Bariatric Surgery
Among 713,290 bariatric surgery patients in a nationwide database, those with cannabis use disorder had 2.24 times higher odds of medical complications and significantly longer hospital stays, though no significant difference in mortality was found.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Cannabis use disorder (0.26% of patients) was associated with medical complications (OR: 2.24; 95% CI: 1.31-3.82; P=0.003) and longer hospital stays (beta: 1.3 days; P<0.001). In-hospital mortality trended higher but did not reach significance (OR: 3.29; P=0.062). Analyses controlled for race, age, sex, income, procedure type, and comorbidities.
Key Numbers
N=713,290 bariatric patients. CUD prevalence: 0.26% (1,870 patients). Complications OR=2.24 (P=0.003). Length of stay: +1.3 days (P<0.001). Mortality OR=3.29 (P=0.062, not significant).
How They Did This
Retrospective nationwide study using the National Inpatient Sample 2016-2019. Queried patients 18+ undergoing RYGB, VSG, or AGB surgery. Cannabis use disorder identified by ICD-10 coding. Logistic and linear regression models.
Why This Research Matters
Bariatric surgery is increasingly common, and surgeons need to know if cannabis use affects outcomes. The doubled complication rate suggests cannabis use disorder should be part of preoperative risk assessment.
The Bigger Picture
As both bariatric surgery and cannabis use increase, their intersection becomes more common. Whether the increased complications are from cannabis itself (e.g., effects on anesthesia, wound healing, or pain management) or from associated lifestyle factors remains to be determined.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Administrative database with ICD-10 coding may underestimate cannabis use (0.26% is far below population prevalence). Cannot distinguish active use from historical CUD diagnosis. Cannot determine dose, frequency, or route of cannabis use. Cannot establish causation.
Questions This Raises
- ?Should bariatric surgery programs screen for cannabis use disorder as part of preoperative evaluation?
- ?Is the increased complication risk from cannabis effects on healing, anesthesia interaction, or confounding factors?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Cannabis use disorder doubled complication risk after bariatric surgery
- Evidence Grade:
- Large nationwide database study with multivariable adjustment, but limited by ICD-10 coding and inability to assess actual cannabis use patterns.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2023 using NIS data from 2016-2019.
- Original Title:
- Severe Cannabis use is Associated with Complications and Prolonged Length of Stay in Bariatric Surgery.
- Published In:
- Obesity surgery, 33(5), 1333-1337 (2023)
- Authors:
- Shah, Rohan M, Patel, Shrey, Patel, Shiv, Sandhu, Lakhvir Kaur, Chand, Bipan
- Database ID:
- RTHC-04927
Evidence Hierarchy
Frequently Asked Questions
Does cannabis use affect bariatric surgery outcomes?
In this nationwide study, cannabis use disorder was associated with 2.24 times higher odds of medical complications and longer hospital stays after bariatric surgery.
Should cannabis users avoid bariatric surgery?
The study shows increased risk but does not mean surgery should be avoided. It suggests cannabis use disorder should be considered in preoperative risk assessment.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-04927APA
Shah, Rohan M; Patel, Shrey; Patel, Shiv; Sandhu, Lakhvir Kaur; Chand, Bipan. (2023). Severe Cannabis use is Associated with Complications and Prolonged Length of Stay in Bariatric Surgery.. Obesity surgery, 33(5), 1333-1337. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-023-06552-z
MLA
Shah, Rohan M, et al. "Severe Cannabis use is Associated with Complications and Prolonged Length of Stay in Bariatric Surgery.." Obesity surgery, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-023-06552-z
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Severe Cannabis use is Associated with Complications and Pro..." RTHC-04927. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/shah-2023-severe-cannabis-use-is
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.