OBJECTIVES: To assess the annual trend in bariatric surgery and the change in each bariatric procedure utilization over time.

METHODS: A longitudinal, cross-sectional analysis was conducted to assess the annual incidence rate of bariatric surgery from 2006 – 2015. The annual rate of utilization of each bariatric procedure was determined using healthcare claims databases of privately insured beneficiaries 18 years of age and older captured in the Truven Health Analytics databases. Linear regression analysis was employed to assess the significance of change in bariatric surgery use over time.

RESULTS: A gradual increase in the utilization of bariatric surgery, among privately-insured beneficiaries, was observed 43.5 per 1000 patients in 2006 to 70.6 per 1000 in 2009. This increasing trend plateaued from 2010 to 2015. Among all bariatric surgery performed, sleeve gastrectomy procedure showed a significant increase in utilization rate from 11% in 2006 to 70% in 2015 (P <0.0001). The increase in sleeve gastrectomy was paralleled by a decrease in Roux-en-Y from 45% 2010 to 24% 2015 (P <0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS: Overall utilization of bariatric surgery showed steady rates over the last five years of the study period. Sleeve gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y remain the most commonly used bariatric procedures. Laparoscopic surgeries continued to dominate bariatric surgery compared to open surgeries.