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Friday, 10 May 2013

The Truth About Weight Reduction Surgery

By Cherry Mercer


Bariatric or weight reduction surgery is done to help people with severe obesity lose fats. It is not recommended for everyone with obesity but only for those who have unsuccessful tried to use other traditional methods of weight reduction. People are categorized as either underweight, healthy weight or overweight considering their Body Mass Index (BMI). A BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight while that of 30 or more is considered as obese.

The purpose of bariatric operation is to prevent, eliminate or cure diseases related to morbid obesity. Remember, that the operation is only a tool and not a cosmetic procedure. With the help of health experts, your family and support groups you can gain numerous health benefits. Before making the decision to undergo the procedure, it is important to first know its potential benefits and risks.

The main goal of bariatric operation is to reduce the risk of illnesses and even death associated with obesity. Gastric bypass is reported to have high success rate with patients losing around 61% of excessive fats after the procedure. The operation is performed by incision in the abdomen or laparoscopically through the use of smaller incisions and instruments. The health expert one chooses should discuss with and disclose to them all the options available.

The surgery is also helpful to patients suffering from high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. After the procedure, about 60% of high blood pressure patients are able to stop medication while 80% report improvement to the condition. 77% of type 2 diabetes patients who are obese and chose to undergo the operation are also able to stop medications thereafter.

Most patients with excessive weight issues also suffer undiagnosed sleep apnea at the time of evaluation. However, 68% to 95% of such patients report resolution to their problem just after undergoing bariatric operation. Some other benefits of the procedure include overall improved in the quality of life and decrease in the long-term risk of death.

An operation to reduce weight reduction is a life-altering event. Patients considering the operation should first understand what it involves. It is a major operation and so as much as there are benefits, there are also potential risks involved apart from the long stay in hospital. In abdominal surgeries like bariatric there exist the risks of excessive bleeding, infection through incision, bowel blockage, adverse reactions to anesthesia etc.

Bariatric operations are also known to cause nutritional deficiencies due to the lack of proper absorption of valuable nutrients in the body. For example, calcium and iron cannot be effectively absorbed as food bypasses the duodenum and jejunum. Lack of vitamin B12 can also cause anemia in menstruating women. After the surgery, patients are advised to eat only as per the instructions of the doctor.

Other less serious risks that may result from a weight reduction surgery include stomach or small intestine ulcers. There is also the dumping syndrome, which may lead to diarrhea, sweating, palpitations, lightheadedness and cramps. For the restrictive only operation, vomiting is also expected especially when the stomach is overstretched with food that has not been well chewed. Even though restrictive operations lead to reduction of excessive fats in almost all patients, they are less effective than a combination of restrictive and malabsorptive operations.



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