Surgery For Obesity

Bariatric surgery is a safe and effective surgical method against morbid and super-obesity, thus it should be used for patients with a body mass index above 40 and/or with afflictions which are associated to being overweight such as hypertension, diabetes, osteoarticular joint damage, respiratory fatigue, among others. Keep in mind that obesity is a serious disease and must be treated as such, and that its symptoms tend to accumulate over time.

This procedure should be used as a last resort, and its results are clearly seen in the improvement of the physical and psychological well-being of the patient, in proven benefits such as a 70% loss of extra body weight, a noticeable improvement in motor skills and physical appearance, an improvement in sleep, better interpersonal relationships, heightened self-esteem, elimination of acid reflux, among many others.

Procedures:

Gastric Bypass

It is one of the most accepted methods for treating extreme obesity, and the one that is used the most in the United States.

It is recommended for patients that have extreme obesity, with a body mass index of more than 50 and that have been unable to maintain a healthy weight through other methods. Also, it is recommended for patients with a body mass index of 35 or more, and that at the same time have other diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, breathlessness, sleep apnea, etc. In general, these patients tend to ingest large amounts of calories in sweet foods such as ice cream, milk shakes, bottled drinks, desserts, and others.

In this procedure a small bag of about 15 to 20 centimeters is created in the stomach through a stapling process. The rest of the stomach remains closed and separated from this gastric bag. The process of evacuation is performed naturally through an exit orifice in the bag, which evacuates directly into the lower portion of the jejunum, thus completely preventing the absorption of calories.

The surgery is performed with laparoscopic methods, requires hospitalization of 3 to 4 days, and at least one week of rest in the hotel.

Sleeve Gastrectomy

This procedure is being practiced with success in cases where patients do not qualify for a surgery such as gastric bypass, but that suffer from obesity problems and have not been able to control their body weight with other methods.

It can also be practiced in patients with severe obesity, that decide not to have a gastric bypass as a first option against obesity, but prefer to start with a simpler but very effective treatment such as the Sleeve Gastrectomy.  In some of these cases, the gastric bypass is practiced as a second surgery.

The Sleeve Gastrectomy is a restrictive procedure, which means that the patient will ingest a considerable lesser amount of food.  It is done using laparoscopic techniques to vertically remove the left side of the stomach, practicing a resection of the flexible part of this organ.  Thus, the surgery allows the patient to be able to eat but in lesser quantities.

This surgery has low risks, and maintains the continuity of the stomach with the intestines, opposite to the gastric bypass.

The Sleeve Gastrectomy not only works as a restrictive mechanism, because as the gastric bypass, a hormone that regulates the appetite is reduced making the patient not feel the need to eat.         

There are several real advantages of the Sleeve Gastrectomy:  the first is that it is a procedure that is done thru laparoscopy; second, no additives or strange elements are left inside; third, the physiology of the stomach is not altered; fourth, it is a surgery with less risks; and finally it is a procedure that can be practiced in patients with elevated BMI (higher than 35) and in patients with lower BMI (between 30 and 35).

Recovery is very fast, it requires only two day’s hospitalization, and the patient can be back to work 5-7 days after the surgery.