Morbid obesity is defined as having a body mass index greater than or equal to 40.0 kg m(-2), or 37.0 kg m(-2) with comorbidities.
Bariatric surgery remains the most effective treatment for
morbid obesity. Bariatric procedures such as sleeve
gastrectomy,
vertical banded gastroplasty and adjustable gastric banding all generate excess
body-weight loss typically over 3-5 years. The
biomaterials used during these procedures, namely
silicone,
polypropylene, expanded
polytetrafluoroethylene and
titanium, are all non-degradable
biomaterials. Hence, their presence in vivo exceeds the functional requirement of an implant to treat
morbid obesity. Accordingly, research into non-invasive and reversible
surgical procedures has increased, particularly in light of the dramatic increase in paediatric
obesity. Tissue engineering is an alternative approach to treat
morbid obesity, as it incorporates both engineering and
biological principles into the design and development of an implant to surgically treat
morbid obesity. It is hypothesized that a biodegradable
polymer to treat
morbid obesity could be developed to effectively promote excess
weight loss. The aim of this review is to discuss
morbid obesity with regards to its aetiology, prevalence and current modalities of treatment. Specifically, the shortcomings of the
biomaterials currently used to surgically treat
morbid obesity shall be reviewed, and alternative
biomaterials shall be proposed.