A digital twin (DT), originally defined as a virtual representation of a physical asset, system, or process, is a new concept in health care. A DT in health care is not a single technology but a domain-adapted multimodal modeling approach incorporating the acquisition, management, analysis, prediction, and interpretation of data, aiming to improve medical decision-making. However, there are many challenges and barriers that must be overcome before a DT can be used in health care. In this viewpoint paper, we build on the current literature, address these challenges, and describe a dynamic DT in health care for optimizing individual patient health care journeys, specifically for women at risk for cardiovascular complications in the preconception and pregnancy periods and across the life course. We describe how we can commit multiple domains to developing this DT. With our cross-domain definition of the DT, we aim to define future goals, trade-offs, and methods that will guide the development of the dynamic DT and implementation strategies in health care.

Background and Objectives: Bariatric surgery is the most effective method for achieving sustainable weight loss, improving quality of life, and resolving obesity-related comorbidities over the long term. However, data from long-term studies remain scarce and contradictory. Materials and Methods: This study is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data over a 7-year follow-up period involving 211 patients diagnosed with morbid obesity who underwent sleeve gastrectomy (SG), Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), or mini gastric bypass (MGB) at Samsun University Training and Research Hospital, Department of General Surgery, between 1 January 2014 and 1 January 2018. Changes in weight, remission of associated comorbidities, postoperative complications, re-admission rates, and revision requirements were compared among the patients. Results: Of the 211 patients, 20.4% were male, and 79.6% were female. During the study period, 61.1% of patients underwent SG, 29.4% underwent MGB, and 9.5% underwent RYGB. There was no statistically significant difference among the three surgical techniques in terms of weight change parameters, comorbidity remission, postoperative complications, and readmission rates. However, revision rates were significantly higher among patients who underwent SG (p < 0.05). Conclusions: SG, MGB, and RYGB techniques are comparable and reliable methods in terms of long-term weight loss, surgical outcomes, and complications. After a 7-year follow-up period, all three techniques were found to be similar in terms of HT, T2DM, and GERD remission; however, SG was observed to have a higher revision requirement compared to the other surgical techniques.

Background: Obesity is still a major global public health problem and its incidence is increasing. Obesity leads to deterioration in thyroid functions. Even when they are within normal ranges, high normal levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) increase morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to evaluate the body mass index (BMI) and TSH levels in 300 euthyroid patients with obesity before and after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). Material/Methods: A total of 300 euthyroid patients who underwent LSG between 2019 and 2021 were included in the study. Body mass index (BMI), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and free triiodothyronine (FT) 3 and tetraiodothyronine (FT4) levels were recorded before surgery and at 6 and 12 months after surgery and subsequently analyzed. Results: Mean BMI values were significantly lower at 6 and 12 months after surgery (P<0.001). There was a significant difference between mean TSH and FT4 levels before surgery and those at 6 and 12 months after surgery (P<0.001). However, mean FT3 levels remained unchanged 1 year after surgery (P=0.005). Conclusions: LSG is not only effective in terms of weight loss, but also exhibits improving effects on thyroid hormone homeostasis in obese patients and provides protection against further adverse effects of TSH.