Bariatric surgery: risks and benefits

As a treatment option for morbidly obese patients, the popularity of bariatric surgery is growing.

For people whose weight continues to increase at a rapid rate despite following a strict low-calorie diet and following a rigorous exercise regimen, bariatric surgery can literally save their lives.

Today, an increasing number of dangerously overweight patients are turning to surgery for a quick victory in the fight against fat. After analyzing data from 1998 to 2002, researchers from the Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) determined that the number of bariatric surgeries in the United States increased from 13,386 a year to the whopping 71,733.

However, it is not for everyone. While bariatric surgery is widely regarded as the safest and most effective means of achieving long-term weight loss, it does have its own advantages and disadvantages.

Therefore, you must clearly understand the benefits and risks associated with surgery before deciding to undergo any type of weight loss procedure.

Current bariatric surgical procedures include stomach bands, stomach stapling, gastric balloons, and surgical bypass of the stomach. The common goal of these procedures is to limit food intake to promote weight loss.

The procedure reduces the amount of food you can eat by shrinking your stomach. After surgery, the stomach takes the form of a small pouch where food enters from the esophagus. Because the bag is so small, it is impossible for you to eat larger meals and you feel full longer.

Before deciding to undergo any type of weight loss procedure, it is vital to weigh the risks and benefits carefully with the help of a licensed bariatric surgeon.

Benefits

• As a result of Bariatric surgery, most patients lose weight rapidly and continue to lose it for up to 18 to 24 months after surgery.
• Patients experience significant improvements in health and quality of life.
• Very few bariatric patients experience complications as a result of surgery.
• Patients with weight-related medical conditions often see improvements within three years.
• The revolutionary laparoscopic approach results in a shorter hospital stay, faster recovery, smaller scars, and less pain.
• Improvement in disorders related to obesity.
• Bariatric surgery can treat type 2 diabetes in overweight and obese patients with high blood sugar levels.
• It can improve cardiovascular conditions such as hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes, as well as respiratory disorders such as asthma and obstructive sleep apnea.
• Patients with hypertension, in particular, can see great improvements within 2-3 months after surgery.
• Stress incontinence can also be resolved by bariatric surgery.
• Weight-related aches and pains usually go away after weight-loss surgery.

Although bariatric surgery has the potential to dramatically change your life, there are always possible serious complications.