Bariatric Surgery : An Overview

What is Obesity?

Obesity is characterized by presence of excessive body fat. It is important to realize that obesity is really a disease. It increases the risk of a lot of other health problems that can affect your quality of life and reduce your lifespan. For people of Indian origin, BMI > 28 is called as obesity.

What is Bariatric/ Metabolic Surgery?

Bariatric surgery is also known as “Weight Loss or Metabolic Surgery”. This is the only proven effective long term weight loss solution for majority of morbidity obese people. This is not a cosmetic surgery like liposuction but a metabolic surgery with very high cure rates of associated medical problems.

Surgery causes physical and chemical changes in the body and alters the digestive process so as to achieve rapid weight loss. These changes decrease hunger and improve body’s response to its own glucose metabolism with often immediate cure or significant improvement of diabetes.

Who requires Bariatric Surgery?

It is recommended in Asian population with either BMI > 37.5 or BMI > 32.5 with any of the weight associated medical problems like Diabetes, Hypertension, High Cholesterol, Sleep Apnea, etc.

Types of Bariatric/ Metabolic Surgery

It is done laparoscopically (Key-hole surgery). It is mainly of 3 types and which surgery would be most suitable for you is determined in discussion with the surgeon. The two types of Bariatric Surgery are:

1. Sleeve Gastrectomy: In this surgery, 80-90% of the stomach is removed, as a result of which patients feel satisfied after very small meals. It also decrease levels of ‘Ghrelin’, the hunger hormone. You can expect to lose around 70% of excess weight with this surgery.
2. Gastric Bypass and Mini-Gastric Bypass: This surgery works by cutting the stomach into a small pouch and connecting it to the small intestine. This results in both reduced food intake and absorption. It can help with immediate control and resolution of diabetes.

Advantages of Metabolic or Bariatric Surgery:

Following are the advantages of Metabolic/ Bariatric Surgery:

1. It helps improve quality of life and increase your lifespan.
2. Type 2 Diabetes – complete resolution or improvement in > 82% patients.
3. Obstructive sleep apnea, high BP, non-alcoholic fatty liver improved in >80%.

In addition to these, conditions like acid reflux, asthma, risk of heart attack, depression, polycystic ovarian syndrome in women improve significantly.

Complications of Surgery:

Surgery is done laparoscopically complication rate is now less than that of gall bladder. Typically less than 2% patients may have complications like bleeding, infection, leak, anesthetic complication, need for re-do surgery.

At Medanta Hospital we provide comprehensive Bariatric Program with the Obesity Medicine Specialist, Bariatric Surgeons, Cardiologists, Pulmonologist and nutritionist. Our aim is to help you have a healthy and active life for years ahead.