Welcome to Morbid Obesity Treatment!
Options for the medical treatment of Morbid Obesity
There are multiple strategies for the obese to help them lose weight. Studies however indicate that most morbidly obese people are not able to lose weight through conventional methods and require surgical intervention. It is estimated that less than 5 percent of individuals who participate in non-surgical weight loss programs will lose a significant amount of weight and maintain that loss for a long period of time. Serious health risks have been identified for people who move from diet to diet, subjecting their bodies to a severe are continuing cycle of weight loss and gain known as “yoyo dieting.”
The fact remains if all other methods fail, Bariatric surgery, compared to other interventions, is know to provided the longer period of sustained weight loss in patients.
Bariatric surgery – A serious approach to a serious problem
Weight loss surgery is not a cosmetic surgery!
Obesity has reached epidemic proportion with more and more people are dying due to obesity than starvation. Many believe to the concept that “all it needs is a healthy diet and exercise” to solve the lifelong problem of intractable obesity. Therefore, the value of batriatric surgical technique, in the treatment of serious and life-threatening co-mornid conditions, remained unappreciated for majority of the sufferer and care givers.
Over the last century the field of bariatric surgery has undergone significant changes evolving from the use of jejuno-ileal bypass to the availability of various weight reduction procedures. National Institute of Health consensus conference has concluded that surgery is the only effective treatement for long-term and sustained weight loss which results in improvement and/or resolution of co morbid conditions, improve quality of life and self esteem, and increase longetivity. Introduction of laparoscopic techniques to the surgical armamentarium added impetus to the evolving field of bariatric surgery, with obvious advantages of decreased post-operative pain, pulmonary complications, and hospital stay.
Surgical options for the treatment of the disease evolved into three categories, restricitive procedures, eg. Vertical banded gastroplastcy, sleeve gastrectomy, malabsorptive procedures, eg. Biliopancreatic diversion with or without duodenal switch, and combined procedures, eg. Roux-en-Y-gastric bypass (RYGB). Availability of multiple procedures suggests that no single procedureis effective for sll pstients. Hence, selection of the procedure has to be individualized based on the gae, BMI, presence or absence of co morbidities, patient, preference and compliance, surgeons experience etc.
The choice of the surgical procedure is often subjective and based on risk-benefit ratio. However, the experience of the bariatric surgeon is the most crucial in selecting the right procedure for an individual. When Clinically Severe Obesity threatens life, the only effective and long-term therapy is surgical treatment, and we believe that the most effective surgical therapy is Bariatric surgery is a method for alleviating the debilitating disease. In kost cases, consideration a a candidate for the procedure is a Body Mass Index of 40 or greater.
Ocassionaly, a procedure will be considered for some one with a BMI for 35 or greater if there is a medical need for weight reduction. Bariatric surgery is the most promising method of weight loss. More surgeons require patients to demonstrate serious motivation and a clear understanding of the extensive dietary, exercise, and medical guidelines that must be followed for the remainder of their lives after having bariatric surgery. Bariatric surgery now offers a number of options popular amongst which is gastric banding, sleeve gastrectomy, and gastric bypass.