Weight Loss Surgery
Among us, there are people who are obese. Some opt to live a fit life and they prefer to become slim, trim and in shape. Since being obese is all about putting on a lot of body weight, many think that doing exercises can help to become fit, slim and trim. However, this is not always true. Sometimes, obese individuals need weight loss surgery to become slim and trim.
Bariatric surgery or weight loss surgery is helpful for obese individuals to become fit, stay in shape. In bariatric surgery (weight loss surgery), weight loss is achieved by reducing the stomach size, either using a gastric band or removing a portion of the stomach. Such surgery can also be accomplished by resecting or rerouting the intestines (small intestine) to a stomach pouch. This process is also known as the gastric bypass surgery.
Indications
Those who have a BMI above 35 who exercises and are on diet programs regularly, or on drug therapy but are not responding to the treatment often opt for surgical procedures. Moreover, those who are suffering from obesity-related conditions like diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia, weight loss surgery is often recommended.
Bariatric surgery can often lead to side effects in the patient and these include the disease in the gallbladder, a need for reoperation, malabsorption. Often bariatric surgery is a complex process and surgeons skilled in such operations need to operate on the patients. Those who are very obese, for them a psychiatric screening is important. Those who have a BMI of 40 or more, they are susceptible to depression. Observations reveal that almost half of weight loss surgery patients suffer from depression.
Classification of Bariatric Surgical Procedures
There are three main categories of bariatric surgical procedures. These are as follows:-
Predominantly Malabsorptive Procedures
These procedures help to reduce the size of the stomach. These respective procedures are further sub-classified as follows.
- Biliopancreatic diversion
- Jejunoileal bypass
- Endoluminal sleeve
Predominantly Restrictive Procedures
- Vertical banded gastroplasty
- Intragastric balloon (gastric balloon)
- Adjustable gastric band
Mixed Procedures
- Gastric bypass surgery
- Implantable gastric stimulation
- Sleeve gastrectomy with duodenal switch
Types Of Surgeries
Some surgical procedures are simple and if the doctor is an expert then that person can perform the surgical procedures without any difficulty.
There are different weight loss surgical procedures and it is up to the physician to decide which one is appropriate for any individual.In this context, it is appropriate to say that there are seven types of weight loss surgery. These are mentioned as follows:-
Gastric Sleeve – In this type, the person feels less hungry, and the individual feels full as soon as he starts eating.
Gastric Bypass – In this type, the person feels full as soon as he starts eating. The person absorbs less amount of minerals.
Duodenal Switch – The person feels less hungry, the individual feels full as soon as he starts eating, absorbs fewer minerals and calories.
Lap Band – The person feels full as soon as he or she starts eating. In this type of surgical procedure, the failure rate is considerably high.
Gastric Balloon – The person feels full sooner as he starts eating. The balloon is removed after six months of the surgery.
VBloc Surgery – The individual feels full between meals, he or she feels less hungry during eating.
Aspire Assist – In this type of surgical procedure, the person drains some portion of the stomach contents after eating.
The obese individual has to choose from any one of the surgical procedure. The weight loss is between 25% to 90% and it depends on the type of surgical procedure. Depending on the procedure chosen, the weight loss can cure health conditions like diabetes, hypertension. Who is qualified for a weight loss surgery? This actually depends on. It is essential to consult a physician to understand whether weight loss surgery is needed or not. It is understood that individuals with a BMI ranging between 30 to 40 or above are qualified for the surgery.
Advantages of Bariatric Surgery
1. Weight Loss
Weight loss surgery is meant for obese individuals. Understanding reveals that obese persons having a BMI ranging between 35 and 40 can undergo surgical procedures to reduce their weight. This surgical procedure has its own advantages like the person being able to lose weight fast. For those who are overweight, they often feel difficulty in movement. Some try to cure overweight issues by doing regular exercises, maintaining a healthy lifestyle but if the overweight issue is serious and does not respond to physical exercise or medication then weight loss surgery is the only option left for extreme weight loss.
2. Medical Issues
If a person is obese then that individual can suffer from a number of medical issues like depression, diabetes, cardiac problems. Bariatric surgery helps cure cardiac problems, high blood pressure, and diabetes. It is also the fastest way to lose weight!
3. Quality Of Life
Weight loss through bariatric surgery helps to improve the quality of life in many individuals. This implies that the persons after undergoing such surgical procedures get more exciting opportunities for them, their family.
Disadvantages of Weight Loss Surgery
The weight loss surgery has certain disadvantages which are mentioned as follows:-
1. Digestion Issues
After the surgery, the patient can suffer from digestion issues.
2. Saggy Skin
Because of the weight loss surgery, the patient can have a sagging skin. This may sometimes look ugly.
3. Not Permanent
The surgery is not a permanent solution to weight loss. Post surgery, there remains a chance of weight regain for the person who has undergone the surgical procedure.
Recovery After Weight Loss Surgery
The recovery from the weight loss surgery actually depends on the surgical procedure adopted. Observations reveal that the patient has to stay for about 2 to 3 days after the surgical procedure. Full recovery also depends on the type of procedure adopted. It is observed that to recover fully after the operation, takes 6 weeks. As far as diet and activity are concerned, to attain normalcy, it takes some time. After the surgery, the patient has to maintain a strict diet, do regular exercises, and adopt a healthy lifestyle to stay fit and healthy.
Dangers Associated With Weight Loss Surgery
For an obese person, who is not responding to other treatment options like medication, regular exercises, weight loss surgery is the only option. Such surgical procedures are ridden with dangers, especially if the doctor is not efficient. Inexperienced doctors can complicate issues and therefore it is recommended to consult an experienced bariatric surgeon to get the job done.
In any particular region, finding a weight loss surgeon is no difficult these days. Individuals can check online for their favorite bariatric surgeons. In contemporary times, bariatric surgeons are listed in relevant websites.Finding them is no difficult. The obese individuals need to consult the bariatric surgeons and understand whether bariatric surgery is needed or not. A person’s BMI index helps to comprehend whether bariatric surgery is needed or not. Bariatric surgeries are associated with high costs. It is prudent to stay insured. The insurance coverage, to a great extent, depends on the type of bariatric procedures. For additional details regarding the surgical procedure, one needs to check online where ample information about the bariatric surgeons and surgery is provided.
