Weight loss surgery includes several medical procedures. Doctors remove parts of the digestive tract, bypass the stomach, change how food moves through the stomach, and adjust the width of the stomach and digestive tract. These changes help patients feel full after eating. Doctors perform weight loss surgeries on people with severe obesity and a BMI of 30 or higher. They also operate on people with a BMI between 27 and 29 who have related health issues, like diabetes. To get the best results, patients should pair the surgery with a healthy lifestyle and regular exercise.
In other words, weight loss surgery can be a long-lasting and successful option for patients who haven’t managed to shed pounds through regular diet and exercise plans. Doctors suggest stomach surgery for patients facing health risks from extreme obesity, with a BMI of 30 or above.
This blog post will cover who qualifies for weight loss surgery, what steps to take before and after the procedure, and how this treatment helps.
Most bariatric surgeries nowadays use a laparoscopic approach making them less invasive.
Keyhole surgery also called laparoscopic or bandaid surgery, is a cutting-edge operation method. It allows surgeons to carry out entire procedures through a few tiny cuts (0.5-1.5cm wide) using a laparoscope. This tool is a long, fiber-optic cable that goes through a needle-like tube. Most weight-loss surgeries need 2-4 of these small cuts.
This approach has a big impact on patients. They heal much faster and face a lower chance of pain and bleeding after the operation.
Bariatric surgeries come in many forms, with small variations in method and new ideas based on the doctor and country where the operation happens. Here’s a rundown of the main types of weight loss surgery. Each method can be adjusted to fit what a patient needs and how much weight they want to lose.
- Gastric Band / Banding (An adjustable gastric band is a type of weight loss surgery that limits food intake.)
- Gastric Balloon (Doctors insert a gastric pouch into the stomach and fill it with 400-700 cc of saline water. This offers a short-term solution to lose weight. It helps people who can’t shed pounds through diet and exercise or prefer to avoid surgery. It’s also an option for patients with high surgical risks.)
- Gastric Sleeve / Sleeve Gastrectomy
- Gastric Bypass
We asked our doctors to describe the ideal candidate for weight loss surgery:
People who fit these criteria qualify for weight loss surgery:
- Their BMI (Metabolic Rate) exceeds 40, or they weigh over 100 pounds more than they should.
- Their BMI falls between 30-35 and they have at least two health issues linked to obesity. These can include type 2 diabetes (T2DM) high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and other breathing problems. Other examples are fatty liver disease not caused by alcohol joint pain unusual blood fats, stomach issues, or heart disease.
How do Global Medical Care doctors prepare patients for their surgeries?
Our doctors tell patients to shed some weight before they have surgery. They do this for two main reasons:
- Patients who shed pounds before surgery tend to lose even more weight after the operation.
- Patients who slim down before surgery face fewer risks during the procedure.
People who drop 5% of their body weight before surgery spend 36 minutes less time on the operating table than those who don’t. put, weighing less makes the surgeon’s job easier. Less time under the knife means less chance of things going wrong. Research shows a clear link between weight loss before surgery and fewer issues for gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy patients. The more weight these patients shed before gastric bypass surgery the better their odds of avoiding problems.
Weight loss surgery kicks off a fresh chapter in life; the procedure is just the first step towards a new way of living that doctors want patients to embrace. Bad eating and lifestyle habits don’t change overnight, and the surgery won’t work well in the long run if patients don’t start making healthier choices on their own.
What would happen if the patient didn’t stick to their diet or healthy lifestyle requirements?
Would a doctor receive their certification if they lacked qualifications to treat patients? Would a race car driver try to compete in Formula 1 races without knowing how to drive? Or to put it , would an athlete try to win the Olympics without months of training and hard work?
Of course not! The same goes for bariatric surgery patients: they should never undergo surgery unless they’ve prepared for it, both and . Patients should pair healthy lifestyle choices with this procedure.
The same thing happens after the operation: if patients go back to their old ways after surgery, like eating more calories, they might not just put the weight back on, but their obesity-related health issues could come back too.
The earlier patients start getting ready for weight loss surgery the better their chances of settling into their new way of life to lose weight and boost their health in the long run.
After Surgery;
Doctors will give patients a plan to follow after surgery. This plan will have advice on what to eat and how to exercise. At first, patients may drink liquids and juices. This has a big impact on early recovery. Later, they can eat soft or mashed foods then normal foods. Getting enough fluids is very hard in the first few months of healing. Most doctors tell patients to drink lots of fluids every day. This helps to avoid dehydration, constipation, and kidney stones. Patients also need to take daily supplements to get enough vitamins and nutrients. They’ll have to do this for the rest of their lives. These supplements include multivitamins, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and vitamin B12.
To enhance post-surgery life quality, you need to change your lifestyle. Foods high in protein play a key role: doctors suggest eating 60-100 g of protein daily, based on your health status, surgery type, and how active you are. We tell patients to cut down on carbs starchy items (bread, pasta, crackers, and sugar-filled cereals) and sweet treats (cookies, cakes, candies, or other desserts). Keeping carbs under 50 grams per day helps stop hunger rebounds, which can cause weight gain.
Benefits of Bariatric Surgeries
These operations have more upsides than downsides;
- Weight loss surgery has a major impact on Type 2 diabetes. It can reverse the condition for many people, or lead to significant improvements for others. Studies show that obese individuals who undergo this surgery might live longer. This stems from a reduced risk of stroke, heart attack, some cancers, and non-alcoholic liver disease.
- Research indicates that people who have bariatric surgery are less prone to develop high blood pressure in the future compared to those who use traditional weight loss methods.
Are you curious about bariatric surgeries? Not sure which country offers the top weight loss treatment, hospital, and the most skilled board certified doctors? Or are you set to move forward and discover if a stomach reduction treatment suits you? Even if you just want information on trusted hospital reviews reputable clinics, or costs… Get in touch with us now, and one of our medical advisors will reach out to help you get started. They’ll work with you to uncover high-quality, budget-friendly treatment choices based on what matters most to you.
