Weight-loss (bariatric) surgery is a lifesaving and life-changing treatment for severely obese patients who have not had success with traditional, medically supervised weight-loss strategies such as diet modification, exercise, and/or medication. In some cases bariatric surgery has to be performed laparoscopically meaning that they are performed laparoscopically by making small incisions in the abdomen and by inserting tiny instruments through those incisions. Bariatric surgery involves weight loss by physically restricting the amount of food patients can eat or by interrupting the digestive process.
Some bariatric procedures can be performed by making a large abdominal incision while others can be performed laparoscopically. During laparoscopic surgery, a telescope and camera project the image of the patient's organs and the surgical instruments onto a video monitor. Because of the minimally invasive nature of laparoscopic surgery, time in the hospital, postoperative pain, and infection risks are markedly reduced in comparison to open surgery but not entirely eliminated. The most commonly performed bariatric procedures are adjustable gastric banding, sleeve gastrectomy, roux-en-Y gastric bypass and gastric sleeve surgery.
However these surgeries are eligible only for those who are severely overweight but also for those whose weight poses a threat to their lives. The severely obese or morbidly obese are considered viable for this surgery. This is generally 100 pounds more than the ideal body weight for a person's height and age. Severe obesity can be a chronic life threatening disease that can lead to many medical and health conditions that cost approximately $100 billion in healthcare annually in the United States.
Severely obese people are at increased risk for a number of cancers and may suffer from incontinence, gastric reflux disease, chronic pain, and impotence. The severely obese also suffer from depression at nearly 10 times the rate of people of healthy weight. Bariatric surgery can improve the health and lengthen the life span of people who are severely obese. Those who have weight-loss surgery are less likely to die from heart disease, diabetes, and cancer seven to 10 years following the procedure than similarly heavy people, who don't have the operation.
Long term medical follow up is very important for people in achieving maximum weight loss after bariatric surgery. Counseling post surgery not only supports patients but also significantly alters the dietary and activity habits. However there are only few risks involved such as depression patients after surgery might be at an increased risk of suicide.
This article describes why undergoing a bariatric surgery is so essential for severely obese patients.
