Experts from NYU Grossman School of Medicine’s Department of Surgery are presenting their latest research at the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery’s 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting in Washington, D.C., taking place from June 15 to 19.
“NYU Langone Health has long been at the forefront of advancing surgical treatment for obesity—from pioneering clinical innovations to leading national conversations about best practices, access, and long-term outcomes,” stated Christine Ren-Fielding, MD, chief of the Division of Bariatric Surgery and surgical director of the Weight Management Program at NYU Langone. “We’re proud to be shaping the future of this field.”
A new analysis by NYU Grossman School of Medicine’s Bellevue Division shows that metabolic and bariatric surgery results in five times more weight loss than GLP-1 receptor agonists over two years. The study titled “Comparative Effectiveness of Semaglutide and Tirzepatide vs. Bariatric Surgery,” led by Karan R. Chhabra, MD; Manish S. Parikh, MD; and Avery Brown, MD, was highlighted on June 17. Data from 51,085 patients revealed that those undergoing sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass lost an average of 26.5 percent body weight compared to 5.7 percent with GLP-1 agonists like tirzepatide.
“These findings indicate that bariatric surgery remains the most effective long-term treatment for patients with severe obesity,” said Dr. Chhabra. “While GLP-1 medications are powerful tools, we are finding that most real-world patients are not getting the same results seen in clinical trials.”
The study received funding from the National Institutes of Health and NYU Langone’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute’s KL2 Scholars Program.
Elizabeth Li presented another study under Drs. Chhabra and Parikh’s leadership on using direct oral anticoagulants versus traditional injections post-bariatric surgery.
Megan Jenkins, MD will speak on surgical autonomy strategies on June 18 and present solutions to intraoperative challenges during a Robotics Session on June 19.
Dr. Ren-Fielding is scheduled to deliver a lecture titled “Is There a Glass Ceiling for Women in Bariatric Surgery?” on June 18.
Tanuja Damani, MD discussed esophageal disease monitoring techniques on June 16.
NYU Langone Health is recognized for its patient outcomes through quality focus resulting in low mortality rates nationwide. Vizient Inc. ranked it No.1 among academic medical centers for three consecutive years while U.S News & World Report placed nine specialties among top five nationally.
