Is Weight Loss Surgery Right for You?

Weight loss or Bariatric surgery is performed as a laproscopic procedure where surgery is completed with four to five small holes and it is almost a scarless surgery.

Weight loss surgery or Bariatric surgery, in general, may be understood as surgical procedures offered to morbidly obese person in order to lose weight.

However, the more apt term would be metabolic surgery as weight loss is not the only target rather main aim is for resolution and improvement of an associated condition like diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertention, obstructive sleep apnoea, gastroesophageal reflux disease, osteoarthritis and improvement of self-esteem and self-confidence. Laparoscopic weight loss surgery is offered to a morbidly obese person who qualifies for indication of surgery and who fail to lose weight by six months of nonsurgical measures. In class 2 obesity is associated with comorbidities is also an indication for surgery.

Weight loss surgery in present scenario is basically of three types

• Restrictive – sleeve gastrectomy, LAGB, Gastric plication
• Malabsorptive- biliopancreatic diversion, ILEAL TRANSPOSITION
• Combined procedures- Roux en Y gastric bypass (RYGB), Mini gastric bypass (MGB), BPD with Duodenal switch

Commonly performed Bariatric surgery in India is Sleeve Gastrectomy, RYGB, MGB.

In sleeve gastrectomy, we tend to surgically reduce the size of the stomach so that it gives restrictive effect and patient get early satiety even with small amount of food and subsequently weight loss is achieved over a period of time. In RYGB and Mini Gastric Bypass, in addition, to reduce the stomach size various length of small intestine is bypassed so that undigested and hypertonic food reaches to distal bowel and absorption of food decreases in order to lose weight gradually.

Gastric bypass and other bariatric surgeries can provide long-term weight loss. The amount of weight you lose depends on your type of surgery and your change in lifestyle habits. It may be possible to lose half, or even more, of your excess weight within two years.
In addition to weight loss, Bariatric surgery there is marked improvement and resolution of conditions often related to being overweight, including type 2 diabetes, gastroesophageal reflux disease, heart disease, hypertention, obstructive sleep apnoea & there is a definite decrease in mortality as with morbid obesity. Tremendous improvement in the quality of life.