Obesity Surgery

Bariatric Surgery is the standard and safe treatment of morbid or severe obesity. It not only leads to significant and durable weight loss but also in improvement/resolution of diseases associated with obesity.

First one must understand that the surgery does not involve any removal of fat. It is not same as liposuction. There are three popular operations for treating obesity. One of the most popular operations, called sleeve gastrectomy, involves cutting out a major portion of stomach to reduce its size by 80-90%. Moreover, it leads to decrease in Ghrelin which is a hormone that causes increased appetite. So, the net effect is that after surgery, the person feels less hungry along with feeling of satiety with a small amount of food.

The operations are carried out laparoscopically through small cuts. Typically, there are three 1 cm cuts and two 5 mm cuts on the skin. After surgery, the patient is able to walk in the evening and is fit for discharge in about 3 days. The patients are on liquid diet initially for 7-10 days after surgery and gradually the diet is changed to soft or semi-solid for another 2 weeks.

The weight loss is gradual (which is desirable and does not leads to weakness or malnutrition). On an average a person loses 4-5 Kg every month after surgery initially. Most persons lose an average of 40-45 Kg over one year.

Weight loss is not the only measure of the success of surgery. Bariatric surgery has a positive impact on the associated diseases. The impact on diabetes is most dramatic. Majority of patients do not require any medicines for diabetes soon after surgery. Infact, if they are given the anti-diabetic medication, the blood sugars can become very low. Such impressive effect on diabetes so soon after surgery has led to growing enthusiasm for possible cure of diabetes using surgery even in people who are moderately obese (BMI 30-35). Other diseases like high blood pressure, asthma, joint disease, sleep apnea, depression etc also show a significant improvement over a longer period of time.

Bariatric operations cause substantial weight loss, which leads to marked improvement in quality of life. People who were not able to walk even 500 meters before surgery are able to walk 5-6 km easily. One of the myths is that surgery leads to weakness. Nothing could be farther from truth. The patients who have undergone bariatric surgery are more active, have a better sex life, require less medical care.

We guide you through your post-operative recovery and weightloss journey throughout. We conduct regular Bariatric Support Group meetings, also our team coordinators and lead Bariatric Surgeons and Nutritionist are always available to help you out. You become part of our family. Right from Pre-operative counsellings to Bariatric surgery to a lifetime of support and assistance, you’re a member of our Family.

There are several phases of weight management. Each step has its objectives and specific recommendations. It is best to focus on each stage as you progress into weight stabilization.

The post-operative nutrition care has three distinct phases:

• Recovery (surgery day – 40 days post-op)
• Extreme weight loss (40 days to 9 months)
• Weight stabilization (9 months and life after that)

In each phase, we provide you with food and supplement criteria as well as lifestyle and dietary behaviour recommendations.

1. The six-week recovery process is four different diet stages. This stage consists of preventing complications, helping meet nutrient needs, diet progression, and adequate recovery.
2. Starting with recovery and continuing into the first nine months, it is critical to meet fluid and nutritional needs through nutrient-dense and minimally processed foods. Nutrients provide energy, prevent muscle breakdown, repair aggravated organs, facilitate the elimination of stored toxins, and modulate metabolism. The result is fat loss. Thus, at this stage, we emphasize the need to provide essential nutrients through food and supplements to restore health.
3. At nine months from surgery, for continuing weight loss (fat loss) and weight stabilization, we will make an emphasis on food and supplement choices, physical activity, and mindful eating. During the first year after weight loss or metabolic surgery, many obesity-related comorbid conditions may resolve or improve, and most of the weight will come off. This stage’s objective is to use the operation as a tool to make lasting dietary changes that will improve the quality of life.

1. Crash dieting Doesnt WORK! cutting calories, eliminating entire food groups or depriving yourself of foods you can actually reduce weight temporarily but do not achieve sustained weightloss for life and your 5-10% of excess body weightloss rebounds back in short time.
2. Liposuction: It is a cosmetic procedure for the re-sculpting small amount of unwanted body fat. It is not a weight loss procedure. It removes fat under the skin temporarily with leaving scar marks there, subsequently fat can get deposited in the same or other area due to no change in gastrointestinal system or metabolism of your body.
3. Bariatric surgery (best option) Bariatric surgery is the most effective way to achieve significant and durable weight loss and can lead an end to many obesity-related diseases. (BMJ, ASMBS, Obesity Surgery).