Bariatric Surgery: Reducing Mortality and Improving Health Outcomes

Obesity is both associated with and predisposes to a barrage of medical conditions which have a significant impact on the lives of individuals. These include diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular conditions such as stroke, hypertension, to mention a few. Management remedied for attaining weight loss have usually centred on lifestyle modifications -  exercise, adopting healthier diets and eating healthy - and drugs.

Despite the discipline required to follow through on lifestyle changes, only a few individuals lose significant weight, and this weight is more often regained in no distant time. This can prove both frustrating and discouraging.

Surgical options have been tried out with excellent results. Bariatric surgery makes use of bariatric techniques such as bariatric surgery sleeve, ileal interposition and transit bipartition. These procedures are associated with excellent weight loss, better long term maintenance of weight, improvement in complications, and an overall reduction in mortality. Thus, bariatric surgery is now the most effective means of achieving weight loss.

Studies published in American journals have come up with the finding that obese individuals who underwent bariatric surgery had a reduction in mortality and improvement in health outcomes compared to other obese individuals who relied on lifestyle modifications and medical management.

Researchers at a tel Aviv hospital who compared 8385 obese patients who were matched with 25155 other patients who had no surgery, discovered that those who did not have surgery done, had almost double the mortality of those who had bariatric within the follow up period.

A related study at the University of Minnesota found that patients who had bariatric surgery had better health outcomes within a 5year period. Thus, in addition to causing weight loss, which is a short term effect, there is a long term improvement in health outcomes (such as better sugar control, blood pressure control, decrease in circulating blood cholesterol levels), and a decrease in mortality compared to obese patients who didn't have any surgery done.

These beneficial effects are achieved by several mechanisms which include

-an alteration in the capacity and absorptive characteristic of the gut

- causing hormonal changes in the body.

These benefits lead to improvement in co-existing morbidity, improvement in the quality of life, and consequently increased longevity and decreased mortality from various causes. Hence, bariatric surgery sleeve has the potential to offer a new lease of life to obese patients when they undergo the procedure. 

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How Metabolic Surgery Can Stem Medical Conditions

Being overweight and obese predisposes individuals to a plethora of other medical conditions which include hypertension, non-insulin dependent diabetes Mellitus (type 2 diabetes Mellitus), cardiovascular diseases, dyslipidemia and many others. In addition, certain individuals face depression, a poor self-image and even body-shaming by other individuals.

All these aforementioned reasons have pushed people to seek out rapid weight loss remedies. Options which individuals usually try include, dieting, restriction of food intake, increasing physical exercise and even the use of drugs and other unconventional methods. These have proven in the long run to have minimal or marginal effect in rapid weight loss and maintenance of lost weight over prolonged periods. Individuals also have difficulty sticking to dieting regimens or the discipline to follow through on a workout routine or gym plan.

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Herein lay the benefits or advantages of metabolic or weight loss surgery. This option has been proven to be the most effective method of achieving weight loss rapidly and maintaining lost weight. Metabolic surgery, weight loss surgery or diabetic surgery - all are essentially one and the same - utilize bariatric techniques like transit bipartition and ileal interposition. They lead to effective and rapid weight loss.

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A proven benefit of metabolic surgery, in addition to achieving weight loss, is that it leads to resolution or improves other medical conditions in the long run. Such medical conditions include Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, hypertension, arthritis, obstructive sleep apnea, fatty liver disease, dyslipidemia etc. Obese individuals who were diabetic and had undergone surgery for obesity were noted to have gone into remission some years later without the need for insulin therapy.

Although the exact mechanism by which surgery leads to the achievement of these benefits is still unclear, several explanations have been put forward. These include the ability of this surgery to modify the level of certain gut hormones which leads to improvement and stems some of the medical conditions outlined above. Some of these gut hormones increase satiety, increase secretion of insulin by the pancreas and increase the sensitivity of body cells to insulin. These can lead to improvement in type 2 diabetes Mellitus and lead to possible remission.

Rapid weight loss leads to a decrease in pressure on the body's weight-bearing joints, decreasing arthritis. It also improves sleep and reduces apnea episodes in individuals with obstructive sleep apnea. In addition to stemming medical conditions outlined above, metabolic surgery also helps improve longevity and overall quality of life.

Contact your physician today to discuss your fitness for metabolic surgery and the various options available for you. 

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What are the Procedures for Metabolic Surgery

Diabetes, commonly known as a sugar disease by society, has been increasing world-wide over the last few decades. What treatment have you been applying to cure diabetes? Which diabetes patients benefit from this treatment and who are appropriate candidates for it?

We have been treating type 2 diabetes patients using a surgical method. It is called Metabolic Surgery. The classic treatment paradigm of type 2 diabetes is education, diet, exercise and the use of medication. But the disease may take a progressive course despite all these treatments. Sometimes, even in spite of intensive insulin use, effective results are unobtainable. In such cases Metabolic Surgery should be considered as an effective treatment alternative.

See more @ https://www.metabolicsurgeryistanbul.com/metabolic-surgery/

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Health Guide: Pros and Cons of Weight Loss Surgery

As a common knowledge, obesity and weight gain are gradually attaining epidemic proportions globally. This is due to our increasing appetite for unhealthy junk foods, sedentary lifestyles, a lack of exercise and for some, a background genetic predisposition. Further compounding the problem of obesity are the other health conditions which it predisposes individuals to. These health risks include an increased risk for type 2 diabetes Mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension etc.

Although conventional approaches have focused on achievement of weight loss through dieting, exercise and drugs, these have continued to prove unsatisfactory especially in terms of their ability to cause weight loss and maintenance of the new weight. To tackle this problem, a new approach was sought, which led to the birth of weight loss surgery. This has proven over time to be an effective means of achieving weight loss. Weight loss surgery employs Bariatric techniques and options which include sleeve gastrectomy, ileal interposition, transit bipartition etc.

As with all medical/surgical procedures, weight loss surgery by Metabolic Surgery Clinic also comes with its own set of pros and cons which we shall briefly explore. It is best to approach each weight loss surgery option, detailing its pros and cons. 

Sleeve gastrectomy

Pros

·        There is rapid weight loss of as much as 30-50% within the first 6 months to 1 year.

·        There is improvement in obesity-related complications such as Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and hypertension.

·        There is decrease in the gastric capacity leading to decreased hunger and eating of small meals.

Cons

·        There may be leakage at stapling points on the stomach which can predispose to other complications such as infections.

·        There may be some form of malabsorption.

Biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch

Pros

·        Achievement and maintenance of rapid weight loss in the long run

·        Decrease in gastric capacity, decreased hunger and eating of smaller meal portions

Cons

·        Predisposition to micronutrient deficiencies which can be corrected with adequate supplementation.

·        It is technically difficult to carry out due to the complexity.

·        There is increased chance of intra-operative and anesthetic complications.

From the information provided above, there is no single best option for every obese or overweight patient. It is generally advised for patients to discuss with their primary care physician or an expert on the option which best suits their unique situation. 

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