Bariatric Surgery not just for looking good, but being healthy too

In a world full of health conscious individuals, it is extremely important to put your best foot forward and take care of your physical health. This can often involve engaging in procedures that assist you in doing so, while simultaneously improving your appearance and treating the core issue of the illness.

Obesity
Obesity is a medical condition that is characterized by having excessive body fat to such an extent that it may have a negative impact on the health of the individual. It occurs when a person has a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 30 or more and is mostly a consequence of unhealthy eating habits and lack of exercise .

Cosmetic SurgeryCosmetic procedures like Liposuctions aim at reducing the amount of fat, but do not treat the core causes of weight gain. It’s purpose is to remove fat from specific areas of the body like abdomen, thighs, back of the arms etc. The process involves the use of a cannula and negative pressure to suck out the fat.

Advantages:
• Easy and safe removal of fat from specific body areas
• Decrease in cellulite
• Enhanced appearance
• Increased self esteem

Risks/ Disadvantages:
• Uneven fat removal can cause the skin to become bumpy and withered leading to poor skin elasticity and a prolonged healing process.
• The area from where the fat has been removed can become numb post procedure.
• Skin infections are rare, however if left untreated they become severe and can be fatal
• Due to a change in fluid levels of the body, the kidneys and heart may also be affected.

Bariatric Surgery
In contrast to Cosmetic Surgery, Bariatric surgery aims at reducing weight through a change in the digestive system of the body. It is done on people who suffer from obesity and is shown to have a long-term affect on the weight of the individual. Rather than simply removing the excess fat in a select few areas, it helps in reducing the overall weight of an individual by an alteration in the internal organs of the person.

Types of Bariatric Surgery:
1. Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass- In this procedure the capacity of the stomach is reduced by taking out a portion of it. A small pouch is created at the top of the stomch, which restricts the intake of food. This pouch is then connected to the lower part of the small intestine, which allows the food you eat to directly flow into it, thus reducing the number of calories that are absorbed by the body
2. Gastric Band- In this procedure, an adjustable, inflated balloon is placed in the upper part of the stomach This creates a smaller stomach pouch, reducing the volume of food that the stomach can hold, and ultimately limiting the quantity of food intake.
3. Gastric Sleeve- In this, more than half of the stomach is removed through an invasive, and irreversible procedure. What is left is a thin, and vertical sleeve or tube almost the size of a banana. Since a large part of the stomach is removed, there is hardly any place to hold food.
4. Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch- In this procedure, the surgeon begins by removing a large part of the stomach. The part of the stomach that passes food into the small intestine is left, along with the first part of the small intestine, called the duodenum.

The middle section of the intestine is then closed off and the last part is directly attached to the duodenum. This process is called the duodenal switch.

The separated, middle section of the intestine isn’t removed from the body but is rather reattached to the end of the intestine, which allows the easy movement of bile and pancreatic digestive juices into this part of the intestine. This process is called the biliopancreatic diversion.

Due to this, food bypasses most of the small intestine, reducing the absorption of calories and nutrients. The cumulative effect of these two processes leads to weight loss in the individual.

Advantages of Bariatric Surgery
• Rapid weight loss
• Improvement in cardiovascular health
• Remission for Type-2 Diabetes
• Helps in treating obstructive sleep apnea
• Reduces depression
• Improves fertility

Risks/ Disadvantages of Bariatric Surgery
• Amount of weight loss post surgery varies from person to person
• There is no guarantee that the surgery will be successful and the lost weight can also return
• Some of the procedures are irreversible and post surgery, cosmetic issues like hanging skin may arise
• Medical complications that can arise during surgery may lead to ulcers, malnutrition, re hospitalization and in many rare cases, even death .

While Cosmetic Surgery works at just eliminating the fat from specific areas of the body, Bariatric surgery has more long term effects as it involves procedures that make alterations in the digestive system of the body, thus, directly impacting the quantity of food intake and the subsequent absorption of nutrients by the body from it.

To know more about your specific condition please visit a Bariatric Surgeon . in a trusted hospital near you.

You can consult one of the best doctors at Jaslok Hospital.To book an appointment at Jaslok Hospital Click here .