Bariatric surgery as it is called now is not a new thing. First bariatric surgery was performed in 1954. Later the surgical remedy for bariatric surgery remained dormant till the popularity of laparoscopic surgery. Past decade has seen a tremendous increase in the number of bariatric or metabolic surgical procedures. This trend may continue because of the epidemic of obesity throughout globe and its rising prevalence among children. Advocates of bariatric surgery consider it the most effective

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... nd only treatment for morbid obesity and its co morbidities. To simplify; two types of procedures are performed. 1. Restrictive-where the intake of calories are prevented by restricting food intake. 2. The other one is malabsorptive-where food rich in calories is prevented to get absorbed. Operations based on these principles are-Laparoscopic adjustable gastric band and Vertical sleeve resection of stomach; for restrictive surgery and Laparoscopic biliopancreatic diversion with or without duodenal switch; for malabsorptive procedures. Both types have their own merits and demerits, many of which are almost unacceptable. To counter each other's' demerits certain combinations of both types are evolved like Roux-en-Y gastric bypass; it combines both restrictive and malabsorptive components. Each operation has its own merits and demerits. Important points for the patient and surgeon alike in the decision to proceed with bariatric operation include -the technical aspects of operation, post-operative complications including long term nutritional problems, Magnitude of initial and later steady weight loss over the period and correction of obesity related comorbidities. Here, the merits and demerits of present day laparoscopic bariatric surgical procedures are reviewed and related controversial aspects related to them are discussed. Right patient selection; right selection of operative procedure for an individual patient and more importantly right selection of surgeon seems criteria to measure success after such surgery.