Bariatric Surgery

Bariatric surgery is the collective name used for gastric bypass and other weight-loss surgeries that help in losing weight by making changes to your digestive system. Bariatric surgery is performed when diet and exercise do not help you to lose weight or when you have serious health issues due to your weight. There are different types of procedures in this surgery where some procedures may limit how much you eat while other procedures work by minimizing the body’s ability to absorb nutrients.

Bariatric surgery has many benefits but all forms of weight-loss surgery are procedures that may pose serious risks and side effects. So, you must follow the instructions given by the doctor and have a permanent healthy diet. You must regularly exercise as this will ensure the long-term success of bariatric surgery.

Doctors at Yashoda Hospital & Research Centre, Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad are committed to providing you with essential information about various health concerns. This article will help you in knowing about Bariatric surgery, its types, uses, and risks.

Why is Bariatric surgery performed?

Bariatric surgery is performed to help you lose excess weight and minimise the risk of weight-related health concerns, such as:

• Heart disease and stroke.
• High blood pressure.
• Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
• Sleep apnea.
• Type 2 diabetes.

Bariatric surgery is generally performed only after you have tried to reduce weight by improving your diet and exercise habits.

Who should opt for Bariatric Surgery?

Bariatric surgery may be an option for you if you have:

• A body mass index (BMI) equal to or higher than 40 (extreme obesity).
• A BMI of 35 to 39.9 (obesity), and a serious weight-related health problem, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or severe sleep apnea. In some cases, you may be eligible for certain types of weight-loss surgery if the BMI is 30 to 34 and you have serious weight-related health issues.

Everyone who is severely overweight does not qualify for Bariatric surgery. This is recommended by the doctor when you meet certain medical guidelines. You will have to pass through an extensive screening process to be eligible for the surgery. You should have the will to make certain permanent changes to lead a healthier lifestyle.

What are the risks of Bariatric Surgery?

Bariatric surgery, like any major procedure, poses both short-term and long-term health risks.
Some of the risks associated with the surgical procedure may include:

• Adverse reactions to anesthesia.
• Excessive bleeding.
• Infection.
• Leaks in the gastrointestinal system.
• Blood clot.
• Lung or breathing problems.
• Death in rare cases.

Long-term risks arising due to weight-loss surgery may differ depending on the type of surgery. Some of them are:

• Bowel obstruction.
• Hernias.
• Ulcers.
• Dumping syndrome, which leads to diarrhea, lightheadedness, nausea, flushing, or vomiting.
• Low blood sugar, known as hypoglycemia.
• Gallstones.
• Malnutrition.
• Vomiting
• The need for a second surgery or procedure.
• Acid reflux.
• Death in rare cases.

Doctors at Yashoda Hospital & Research Centre, Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad are committed to the patient’s safety and health. They always list out the probable risks you may encounter after a procedure and ask you to consult a doctor in case you are suspicious of any signs and symptoms.

What are the preparations required for Bariatric Surgery?

After you have qualified for Bariatric surgery, the doctor may ask you to have various lab tests before the surgery. The doctor may restrict your eating and drinking habits and the types of medications you can take. You may also be recommended to start a physical activity program and not use any tobacco.

What to expect in Bariatric surgery?

Bariatric surgery is performed using general anesthesia making you unconscious during the procedure. Your situation, the type of weight-loss surgery you are recommended, and the doctor’s practices determine the specifics of your surgery. Some of the weight- loss surgeries are performed with traditional large, or open, incisions in the abdomen.

Most types of bariatric surgery, today, use a laparoscope, a small tubular instrument with a camera attached to it. The doctor inserts the laparoscope through a small incision in the abdomen. The tiny camera attached to the tip of the laparoscope helps the surgeon to view and operate inside the abdomen without making the traditional large incisions. Laparoscopic surgery helps you to recover faster and shorter but is generally not suitable for everyone.

The surgery usually takes hours to complete. After you awake in a recovery room, the medical team monitors you for any complications. The doctor may ask you to stay in the hospital for a few days.

What are the types of Bariatric surgery?

Each type of Bariatric surgery has its benefits and demerits. Surgeons at Yashoda Hospital & Research Centre, Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad, always review your health history, body mass index, habits, and previous surgeries and accordingly determine which surgery will be best for you.

• Roux-en-y (roo-en-wy) gastric bypass- It is the most common method of gastric bypass and is generally irreversible. This procedure works by reducing the amount of food you can eat in one sitting and decreasing the absorption of nutrients.
  The top of your stomach is cut across by the surgeon, separating it from the rest of the stomach. The resulting pouch may hold about an ounce of food, about the size of a walnut. Normally, the stomach can hold around 3 pints of food.The small intestine is then cut by the surgeon, who sews part of the small intestine directly onto the pouch. Food travels into the small pouch of the stomach and then straight into the middle part of the small intestine bypassing most of the stomach and the first section of the small intestine.
• Sleeve gastrectomy- In this procedure, around 80% of the stomach is eliminated, leaving behind a long tube-like pouch letting the pouch hold less amount of food. The appetite-regulating hormone, ghrelin, is produced less by the smaller stomach reducing the desire to eat. This procedure requires a shorter stay in the hospital as compared to other procedures and is helpful in significant weight loss including no rerouting of the intestines.Biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch- This surgery has two parts in its procedure. The first part contains the procedure same as that of a sleeve gastrectomy. In the second part of the surgery, the end portion of the intestine is connected to the duodenum near the stomach (duodenal switch and biliopancreatic diversion) and bypasses the majority of the intestine.This surgery reduces your capacity to eat food and limits the absorption of nutrients. This is effective but has a greater risk that may include malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies.
• Adjustable Gastric Band- In this procedure, a device that is made up of silicone is placed around the upper part of the stomach to reduce the amount of food you can eat. This procedure is less effective when compared to other procedures as the impact it has on obesity-related diseases and long-term weight loss is less because of which this procedure has declined in the past decade.
• Single Anastomosis Duodeno-Ileal Bypass with Sleeve Gastrectomy (SADI-S)– One of the most recent procedures used by many hospitals, such as the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. This procedure is the same as that of BPD-DS but is performed in less time. In this procedure, only one surgical bowel is connected and the operation starts in a similar way as done in sleeve gastrectomy, creating a smaller tube-shaped stomach. The first portion of the small intestine is bifurcated just after the stomach and a loop of the intestine measured several feet from its end, is connected to the stomach. The food travels through the pouch reaching directly to the later portion of the small intestine. The food, then, mixes with the digestive juices secreted by the first part of the small intestine allowing the absorption of vitamins and minerals to maintain healthy levels of nutrition. This surgery gives you good weight loss including less hunger, more fullness, control in blood sugar, and improvement in diabetes.

What happens after Bariatric surgery?

The doctor may ask you not to eat for a day or two so that the stomach and the digestive system get time to heal. You will be asked to follow a specific diet for a few weeks beginning with liquids, then pureed, very soft foods, and finally to regular foods.

The Doctor may ask you to have regular checkups for a few months so that your health may be monitored. This may include laboratory testing, blood tests, and other exams.

What are the possible outcomes of Bariatric Surgery?

Bariatric surgeries may provide you with long-term weight loss but the amount of weight loss will depend on the type of surgery and your lifestyle habits. Bariatric surgery is also helpful in improving conditions that are related to being overweight, such as:

• Heart disease.
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
• High blood pressure.
• Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
• Obstructive sleep apnea.
• Osteoarthritis (joint pain).

Type 2 diabetes.
Bariatric surgery may also help you in improving the ability to perform daily activities letting the quality of life improve. However, there is also a possibility of not losing enough weight or regaining weight after any type of weight-loss surgery. This may happen when you do not follow the instructions and advice of the doctor or you do not adapt to lifestyle changes, like doing regular exercise and eating healthy foods.

Need to consult a doctor or specialist in Bariatric Surgery in Delhi NCR?
The Centre for Bariatric Surgery and Metabolic Diseases at Yashoda Hospital & Research Centre, Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad, has a team of surgeons who are highly experienced and well-trained in all the procedures of Bariatric Surgery. They offer you the best care and support you may need throughout the treatment.

Dr. Rishi Singhal is a Medical Director at Healthier Weight and a Consultant Surgeon in the West Midlands under the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust in Birmingham. He has been performing various laparoscopic and open general upper GI and bariatric surgical procedures including gastric banding, gastric bypass, gastric sleeve, and anti-reflux surgery, and is an expert in revisional bariatric surgery. With years of experience, Dr. Singhal is highly skilled in benign upper GI surgery, bariatric surgery, and resectional surgery for oesophagogastric cancers. He is currently doing his research on the metabolic effects of bariatric surgery on patients with diabetes.

Dr. Ashish Gautam is a very well-known and highly experienced bariatric, gastrointestinal, and trauma surgeon. He has completed his surgical training at S.N. Medical College, Maulana Azad Medical College, Lok Nayak Hospital, and Sushruta Trauma Centre and pursued his fellowship in minimal access and bariatric surgery. He is well experienced and has performed more than 20,000 laparoscopic procedures including advanced laparoscopic procedures like lap colorectal, lap bariatric, laparoscopic common bile duct surgeries, and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgeries. Dr. Gautam has been a pioneer in establishing world-class bariatric (weight loss) surgery services in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. He is also known for his experience in video-assisted thoracoscopic (keyhole chest surgery) procedures for diseases of the chest such as empyema and lung tumor.

Consult these doctors now. Book an appointment today. Visit our official website- www.yashodahealthcare.com