Stomach reduction

In the past, only patients who were severely obese were referred for bariatric surgery, known as gastric bypass surgery . Due to the success of stomach reduction operations, today they are also recommended for patients with diabetes , high blood pressure and other diseases. These processes greatly affect the lifestyle of patients.

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The complete guide to stomach reduction surgery

Metabolic syndrome is a combination of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and hyperlipidemia. This syndrome has become the “scourge” of the twenty-first century. But how do we know if we have this disease? Is every extra kilogram really considered excessive obesity?

To determine who is obese , the World Health Organization has defined the body mass index, or BMI. It is a unified measure that calculates the ratio between weight and height, and its value reflects weight gain, so that a BMI of more than 35 is considered morbid obesity.

Recommending bariatric surgery, Known by many as “stomach reduction surgery”, It is given to people with a BMI of 40 or more, Or for people with a BMI of 35 who suffer from other chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, Sleep Apnea, knee problems, ischemic heart diseases, Infertility problems secondary to obesity, Fatty liver and blood clot occurrence.
Since the effectiveness of stomach reduction surgery is clear and significant, Patients are increasingly being directed to it, and recently, with the encouragement of health authorities in various countries, patients with severe, unbalanced diabetes are also being directed to it, even without a very high BMI. Today, it seems that the trend is to treat the disease, not obesity alone.

Because stomach reduction surgery affects the patient’s entire lifestyle, A multi-system team accompanies the patient before, During and after surgery. identify the patient, Preparing the patient and receiving him for the first time takes place in the obesity treatment clinic – every patient who comes to the hospital undergoes a long reception process that includes an evaluation by a nutritionist. Evaluation by a psychologist or social worker, blood tests, Urine and special examinations including esophagography, Stomach, duodenum and abdominal ultrasound examination. At the end of the operation, the patient is invited to a meeting with the team, which includes a surgeon. Internist and nurse.

The staff examines the patient’s file and talks with him to decide which surgery is appropriate for him. There is great weight for the opinion of the psychiatrist and/or social worker in the preoperative decision. The anesthesia department staff is an active partner in this matter because of the risks involved in anesthetizing these patients. It is no less important – getting them to wake up from anesthesia so that they are stable and breathing on their own.

The possibilities for gastric reduction surgeries offered to patients are numerous. Common surgeries performed today are:

Gastric bypass surgery – sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass surgery .

The operations are performed with a minimally invasive approach – Laparascopy under general anesthesia and hospitalization for a relatively short period. Laparascopy method is a surgical method that is performed without opening the abdomen. During which a very small camera and devices are inserted through small openings. This method allows surgery to be performed with a high success rate. Along with the significant reduction of “surgical trauma”, Improving the post-operative period, A significant shortening of the recovery and recovery period.

These operations, which were initially aimed only at weight loss, It led to a significant improvement in the accompanying diseases in these patients. Such as high blood pressure , sleep apnea, high blood fats, bone diseases and mainly diabetes.

In the long term, a reduction in the death rate from heart disease and diabetes complications was observed by rates ranging between 50-90% within 10 years. After several days of stomach reduction, Patients succeed in achieving normal blood sugar values. Even before there is a significant decrease in their weight, They do not need the insulin injections that were part of their daily routine. The promising results of stomach reduction operations have led to a number of medical centers in the world studying the possibility of performing stomach reduction surgery as part of the treatment of patients suffering from diabetes, and not just the “obese” among them.

After the stomach reduction procedure, the stage called “new life” begins – under the guidance of a nutritionist. Accompanied by support groups and of course with close monitoring from the medical team – a program begins that includes exercise and proper eating habits. Which involves eating small amounts at more frequent intervals, Proper nutritional diversity in terms of calories and vitamins.

Another advantage of these operations is that after a period of recovery and observation, There are no restrictions on the types of food and a quick return to the normal diet with small meals.

The greatest weight loss occurs in the first year after stomach reduction surgery. It is important to incorporate physical activity into the weight loss process. In order to maintain muscle mass. Because muscle is heavier than fat, Sometimes it seems to therapists that the weight loss process is slower than it actually is. But in reality, what happens is that unhealthy fats are replaced by healthy muscles.