Bariatric surgery covers surgeries performed to help with weight loss. First of all, exercise, diet or medication are used in patients. Depending on the patient's condition, if the result cannot be obtained, bariatric surgery is recommended by the attending doctor. The World Health Organization (WHO – WHO) defines obesity as the accumulation of excessive amounts of fat in the body in a way that disrupts health.
Eating fast food frequently, unhealthy eating conditions and a sedentary lifestyle lead to obesity. The fact that the patient does not care about this condition and does not resort to weight loss methods until the health problems recur also increases the demand for bariatric surgery. Obesity, being a physiological problem, also negatively affects the psychology of patients. For this reason, early intervention prevents health problems that may occur and increases the success rate of surgery.
What is Obesity?
Currently, obesity is one of the most common health problems of developed and developing countries. From a medical point of view, a disproportionate amount of weight compared to height as a result of a high ratio of fat mass to lean mass in the body is called obesity. From the first moments of life to the last moments, nutrition is an indispensable element of life. But nutrition, contrary to popular belief, does not mean just feeding the stomach or eating what you want.
Each person has varying energy needs, taking into account age, gender, daily living conditions, pregnancy status, cardiovascular diseases, physiological and genetic factors. The energy provided by the nutrients taken should be equal to the energy spent, and the fat – protein – carbohydrate intake should be paid attention to. The fact that advanced technology makes human life easier is also one of the reasons for the spread of obesity.
Which Department Deals with Obesity?
Obesity is diagnosed and treated by the department of internal medicine because it is directly related to the body's weight. It also requires an internal medicine specialist to perform operations on the stomach and intestines. Bariatric surgery includes applications such as a gastric balloon, a gastric tube, or a folding stomach. Although the internal medicine specialist plays the main role for the successful implementation of the operation, support is also received from other units if necessary.
For the diagnosis of obesity, the Body Mass Index ( BMI) is calculated. The body mass index is calculated by dividing the height in kilograms by the square of the length in meters. If the result is over 30, obesity is diagnosed, and those who are over 40 are called morbidly obese. Gaining excess weight should be taken seriously, as it causes serious illnesses, as well as restriction of movements. Therefore general surgery specialists can also take a lead in the process.
What is Bariatric Surgery?
Bariatric surgery is the name given to the whole range of surgical operations on the digestive system for the weakening of patients with a body mass index of 30 – 40. Depending on the patient's condition and the doctor's preferences, the methods used may vary. Before bariatric surgery, the patient, who was examined by a nutritionist, endocrinologist, exercise consultant, psychiatrist and physical therapist tries to be cured by non-surgical methods. If the result is not obtained, bariatric surgery is resorted to.
Underlying obesity may be wrong eating habits, genetic factors, psychological problems and health problems. In order to solve the problem at the root, the root cause is primarily investigated. If the desired result is not achieved, the operation is inevitable to preserve the patient's health. Obesity surgery is also known as bariatric surgery. The success rate after surgery varies depending on the state of compliance with what the doctor says, the proper implementation of the diet plan, and whether the exercises are performed regularly.
How is Bariatric Surgery Performed?
Bariatric surgery is commonly done by three methods. The most common method is tube stomach surgery. It is followed by normal bypass (roux-en-y) and mini-bypass surgeries. Tube stomach surgery is performed on the stomach. The purpose of the operation is to weaken the patient by restricting the amount of food eaten. The stomach is shrinked for this purpose. Bypass surgeries are performed on the small intestine and stomach. These operations, in addition to shrinking the stomach, shorten the october of nutrients and reduce food absorption.
In mini-bypass surgeries, a two-meter-long intestine is bypassed. In the standard bypass, the intestine with a length of 1 to 1.5 meters is disabled. That is why the mini-bypass is a heavier operation. Among bariatric surgery operations, the tube stomach is the lightest, followed by a normal bypass. The doctor makes the most correct decision about which method to apply. At the decision-making stage, chronic diseases, the patient's age and body mass index are decisive.
Bariatric Surgery
All methods, including bariatric surgery, should be tried. Efforts should have been made to lose weight at least 2 times and for at least 6 months in this regard, but no results should have been obtained. According to studies, 2 percent of morbidly obese people can lose weight permanently by exercising and dieting. The patient must be at least 14-15 years old for the operation. If there is no heart or lung disease, bariatric surgery can also be easily applied to 70-year-old patients.
For bariatric surgery, the patient's compliance level is checked. Accordingly, first of all, it should be above the body mass index (BMI). If the index is between 35 and 40, those who have problems such as type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, or hypertension are called morbidly obese. Bariatric surgery can be performed on these people. Bariatric surgery is performed by the decision of the doctor in patients with metabolic disorders and new type 2 diabetics.
What Are the Advantages of Bariatric Surgery?
Bariatric surgery helps the patient achieve his ideal weight. Being overweight negatively affects the metabolism, causing health problems such as diabetes, liver problems, sleep apnea and hypertension, especially cardiovascular diseases. Thanks to the operation, this situation is prevented. At the same time, obesity greatly restricts the patient's movements and creates problems in his everyday life.
Another advantage of bariatric surgery is that it significantly increases the patient's mobility. A critical increase in the quality of life occurs after surgery. If it is present, there is a decline in conditions such as sleep apnea, GERD, type 2 diabetes, or hypertension. Having a healthy and high-quality life is the biggest of the gains. Psychologically, improvement is also observed in patients, in addition, their self-confidence increases.
The Process After Bariatric Surgery
Taking into account age and chronic disease conditions, primarily the type of bariatric surgery, the patient remains under observation for an average of 24 to 48 hours after surgery. The doctor checks for any complications with radiological checks. The discharged patient comes to the control in the first, second and fourth weeks. The process of nutrition continues at first with a liquid diet, and then with a puree diet. Then it is continued with checks for 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months.
In order to maintain the advantages of bariatric surgery, it is necessary to adhere to the nutrition programs recommended by the doctor and establish the correct movement routine. After the operation, it is extremely normal to observe reflux, intolerance to certain foods, vomiting or nausea if overeating is observed. Along with the doctor, the nutritional recommendations given by the dietitian should be taken into account.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/bariatric-surgery/about/pac-20394258
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