Introduction:
With the increasing pace of daily routines, there has been a tremendous modification in everyone's day-to-day lifestyle. Food, sleep patterns, relaxation areas, and day-to-day tensions have shifted paradigms. Eventually, there has been an exponential increase in patients with more noncommunicable diseases like hypertension, diabetes, obesity, depression, etc.
Obesity is the cost of people's visits to shopping malls, movies, social gatherings, functions, and parties. It is a disease that gradually deteriorates people's health. When a complication arises from obesity for any individual, it becomes a complex medical issue to treat. So when things are well within one's control, one has to fight to stay long enough in this world to enjoy Mother Earth's various offerings in the years to come.
For example, an individual becomes obese at the age of 20 or 21, gets fixed by an MNC (multinational company) after 30 years of age, and becomes a frequent traveler abroad. Will he not miss the variety of foods he will likely experience during his travels? People should understand that eating biryani seven days a week and missing out on a lifelong variety of food is insane. Therefore, rather than becoming accustomed to the postprandial tiredness that results from overeating and fainting with hyperglycemia (excess sugar in the blood), one should cultivate the habit of limiting the use of the taste buds to only taste. Nowadays, various surgical options are available for obese patients, as well as the surgical cure for metabolic diseases like diabetes.
What Is Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery?
Bariatric surgery, which includes gastric bypass and other weight-loss treatments, involves adjusting the digestive system to aid in weight loss. Bariatric surgery is performed when diet and exercise have been unsuccessful or when a person is experiencing major health concerns due to excessive weight. The term "metabolic surgery" describes surgical methods used to treat metabolic illnesses, particularly type 2 diabetes. A metabolic syndrome is a group of metabolic disorders that tend to develop together and are caused by obesity, physical inactivity, aging, and heredity. Diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and high blood pressure, which can result in heart disease and stroke, are all significantly more likely to occur in people with metabolic syndrome. Diabetes is a medical disorder where blood glucose levels are persistently higher than usual. One of the key contributing factors to the onset of diabetes is obesity.
Why is the Surgery Done?
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Bariatric surgery is performed to assist people who are extremely obese in losing a significant amount of weight over time.
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The main objectives are to improve general health, manage obesity-related diseases like diabetes and hypertension, and improve quality of life.
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The anatomy of the digestive system is changed by bariatric surgery, which can reduce nutrient absorption, limit food intake, or do both to aid in weight loss.
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It is usually taken into consideration for people who have not lost weight with other approaches and who run significant health risks due to obesity.
What Is the Difference Between Metabolic Surgery and Bariatric Surgery?
Metabolic surgery is part of bariatric surgery. All individuals with extremely high weights who require weight loss should consider bariatric surgery. Metabolic surgery, as opposed to obesity, treats diabetes and metabolic dysfunctions that have not responded to lifestyle and medication adjustments.
What Are the Types of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery?
The types of bariatric and metabolic surgery are discussed below.
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Sleeve Gastrectomy: This keyhole surgery converts the stomach into a long, narrow tube the size and shape of a banana. This restricts the patient's food intake and improves the ability of intestinal hormones to lower blood sugar.
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Gastric Bypass Surgery: This is also a keyhole surgical operation that generates a small egg-shaped pouch in the upper stomach that is then "Y" connected to the bottom part of the small intestine. This bypass diverts food and allows it to be absorbed in only a small portion of the intestine.
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Biliopancreatic Diversion With Duodenal Switch (BPD/DS): In this surgery, about two-thirds to three-quarters of the upper small intestine is bypassed, and the bulk of the stomach's most extensible region is permanently eliminated. A BPD/DS inhibits the ability to consume and lowers nutrient absorption, especially proteins and fats. In most cases, BPD/DS is performed as a single procedure; however, in rare cases, the procedure may be conducted as two consecutive operations: sleeve gastrectomy followed by intestinal bypass once weight loss has started. While a BPD/DS is quite effective, it has additional dangers, such as starvation and vitamin shortages. This technique is typically suggested for persons with a BMI (body mass index) of over 50.
Is There Any Diet to Be Followed Before Bariatric Surgery?
Before surgery, a bariatric diet involves following a structured eating plan to help patients lose weight and shrink their livers, which will increase the safety and effectiveness of the procedure. Usually, it consists of a low-calorie, high-protein diet to help with weight loss and general health improvement. This pre-surgery diet, which may include phases with particular dietary restrictions, like limiting carbs and fats, helps the body prepare for the demands of bariatric surgery. The objective is to reduce potential surgical risks while optimizing the patient's nutritional status.
What Are the Advantages of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery?
The advantages of metabolic and bariatric surgery are listed below.
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The procedure results in significant weight loss, which leads to significant improvement in type 2 diabetes.
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After this surgery, Improvements can be noticed in obesity-associated diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, sleep apnea, and asthma.
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Metabolic surgery can result in significant long-term weight loss.
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Weight loss through surgery also helps to improve overall welfare and quality of life.
What Are the Disadvantages of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery?
Metabolic surgery is a fairly safe procedure with a lengthy track record of success. The primary risks are associated with complications, including bleeding and staple line leaking, infections, and health issues like breathing problems, deep vein thrombosis (a blood clot that forms in a vein deep inside the body), and bad anesthetic reactions in the first few days following surgery.
How Long Does It Take To Recover From Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery?
The procedure takes roughly two hours and is conducted under general anesthesia. The individual will be advised to take only a liquid diet before graduating to soft meals for a few days. The majority of patients will be hospitalized for three to five days. The individual will be able to move around the day following surgery, and most of them will be able to resume normal activities and exercise within two weeks.
Conclusion:
To conclude, the solution to repair an individual's damage due to obesity is a surgical treatment. This is the last resort that one has after trying all remedies like food restriction, diet, exercise, lifestyle modification, etc. However, it should be noted that the surgical option is only available to patients who have failed medical treatment and not to those who have failed despite their best efforts. As surgery will only facilitate things, the individual's mindset to reduce weight should still be there to achieve successful surgical results. Remember, surgery is not a shortcut to reducing weight.