Bariatric stomach surgery performed since 2001 is a surgical intervention for obesity therapy. Bariatric Surgery is used to reduce appetite and to make the person feel fuller faster which makes it easier to lose weight. This operation, is not the only method in the treatment of obesity . First, diet, medication, and exercise should be tried for achieving weight loss. If these methods couldn’t give the wanted result, Bariatric stomach surgery can be done.
Bariatric Surgery - Obesity Treatment
Why is Bariatric Surgery Performing?
Why is Bariatric Surgery performed?
Depending on the patient’s degree of obesity, a part of the stomach is surgically removed by incision. Generally, in tube stomach operations, 80% of the stomach is removed. It is then intended that the patient is better able to control their appetite and food intake.
When the stomach gets smaller, the patient gets to the saturation point in less time, with less food, and begins to lose weight by itself. As he/she gets fewer calories during the day, he/she gets rid of obesity by entering the weight loss process. Of course, tube stomach surgery can not be done to every patient. For this, the patient must be in compliance with certain conditions and should not have an obstructive condition.
How is Bariatric Surgery performed?
The surgery is usually done using a tiny camera that is placed in your belly. This type of surgery is called laparoscopy. The camera is called a laparoscope. It allows your surgeon to see inside your belly.
In this surgery:
- Your surgeon makes 2 to 5 small cuts (incisions) in your belly.
- The scope and instruments needed to perform the surgery are inserted through these cuts.
- The camera is connected to a video monitor in the operating room. This allows the surgeon to view inside your belly while doing the operation.
- A harmless gas is pumped into the belly to expand it. This gives the surgeon room to work.
- Your surgeon removes most of your stomach.
- The remaining portions of your stomach are joined together using surgical staples. This creates a long vertical tube or banana-shaped stomach.
- The surgery does not involve cutting or changing the sphincter muscles that allow food to enter or leave the stomach.
- The scope and other tools are removed. The cuts are stitched closed.
How to Lose Weight By Bariatric Surgery?
Weight loss by gastric surgery occurs in two ways. The first is the loss of weight due to the reduction in the size of the stomach. When the size is reduced, less food is eaten. It’s also natural to start losing weight as less calories are entering the body. another method is to reduce stomach movements. Because there is a part of the stomach that produces an enzyme called ghrelin which increases the appetite of the person. The removal of this part in the surgery will reduce the appetite and cause weight loss as less food is consumed. In fact, ghrelin is a enzyme that exists in the whole stomach, so even If 80% of the stomach is removed, the appetite will not disappear completely.
Who is Suitable For Bariatric Surgery?
This operation is not performed unless it is necessary for those over 35 years of age. However, people who are in danger because they’re overweight can have it after 18 years of age. Of course, the absence of diabetes in the person is also an important factor. In addition, the body mass index of the person must be at a certain level so that a decision can be made. Patients with a body mass index of 55 or more are first undergoing preparatory surgery. Preparative surgery is expected to lose weight in a certain way. Subsequently, gastric tube surgery is performed. In general, tube stomach surgery is performed on the following people who:
- Those who are unable to lose weight despite dieting
- Body mass index between 40 and 55
- People whose body mass index is higher than 35 but who should lose weight immediately due to any illness
What is Body Mass Index?
Body mass index is the figure obtained by dividing the pain of the body in square meters. According to body mass index, people are evaluated in 6 groups.
- 18.5 and below: Poor
- 18.5 – 24.9: Normal
- 25 – 29.9: Overweight
- 30 – 34,9: Obese 1
- 35 – 39,9: Obese 2
- 40 and over: Obese 3
How Tany Types are There of Stomach Reduction Surgery?
The operation is performed in 2 ways to reduce the weight and to provide weight loss.
- Gastric bypass surgery
- Sleeve gastrektomi
The most common choice is sleeve gastrectomy or tube stomach surgery. Because, with this surgery, the stomach size is reduced at a serious level and appetite decreases with it. Patients go through a very natural and healthy weight loss process. During the gastric bypass operation, a connection is made between the stomach and the small intestine. It is therefore aimed at preventing food from causing fat in the body.
Examinations Before Surgery
Of course, you are asked to do some tests by your physician before every operation. You will be asked to do some tests before the surgery to determine if your health condition is appropriate for the operation. In general, we can list these tests as follows:
- Blood count
- Kidney and liver tests
- Blood fat test
- Blood sugar and insulin test
- Cortisol control
- Thyroid control
- Respiratory function test
- Heart and stomach control
After all the tests are completed, the tests and patients condition are evaluated by the physician and if its appropriate the operation plan is made.
Before Bariatric Surgery
If you decide to have a tube stomach surgery, you should stop taking cigarettes and alcohol 15 days before the operation. Your doctor may give you a diet list. The preparation diet is a diet program that has to be applied because it helps the surgery to be more successful. If you have any existing diseases before the surgery, you should inform your physician and tell all medications you use. You must have all the tests requested. You will have to remain hungry for 24 hours before surgery. In this process you should not consume anything, including water. What you need to do before surgery is transferred to you by your doctor. You need to keep it alive.
Is It Possible to Get Weight After Bariatric Surgery?
The purpose of this surgery is to ensure that patients who can not lose weight in spite of dieting and exhausting are free of excess weight. Patients who have undergone tube stomach surgery need to change their eating life style by paying more attention to their eating habits and to exercise regularly.
Of course, patients are at risk of regaining weight if they do not pay attention to their diet. However, there is a 1% chance of reaching the pre-operative weight again according to the studies done.
How Much Weight Loss After Bariatric Surgery?
After surgery, patients lose weight in about 1 year. However, it can not be said that every patient loses all the excess weight after surgery. Some patients lose 40% of their excess weight, while some patients can lose 100% of their excess weight.
How much weight is lost depends on the type of lifestyle, whether or not you exercise, and whether you are fed well after the surgery. The goal of this surgery is to get patients to lose 70% of their excess weight after surgery. Weight loss after surgery starts quickly and decreases with time.
Bariatric Surgery Facilitates Weight Loss in Short Time.
What are the Advantages of Batriartic Surgery?
- It provides relief from about 50% of excess weight due to obesity.
- By surgery, a foreign body is not placed in the stomach so the body does not need to adapt to anything.
- Metabolic disorders resulting from obesity in the patient recover in a shorter time.
- The duration of the clinical rest is rather short.
- In the stomach and intestinal system, there is no change in the path of food.
Benefits of Surgery in the Body
The surgery does not just make it easier to get rid of the excess weight of the patient. The effects of adverse changes that occur in the body due to excess weight are removed with the reduction of the stomach.
Metabolic disorders, for example, fall into self-reliance independently of weight loss. In addition, again blood sugar problems from overweight tend to improve. It is observed that insulin usage decreases after stomach reduction surgery and some patients do not need insulin use.
In this regard, it is known that surgery provides many advantages for patients.
What to Eat After Surgery
After the operation, some tests are done to the patient. In the direction of these examinations, fluid intake can be started one day after the operation.
Progressive increase in fluid intake during the first 3 days is ensured. Patients should be in the form recommended by the physician for nutrition at home as they are discharged on the third day.
Those who have tube stomach surgery should be fed with light colored liquids for a while after the operation and should not consume solid foods.
This eating style usually lasts 15 days. When 15 days are complete, the patients start to consume soft foods.
After 1 month of surgery, patients may consume solid foods.
Things to Watch Out for After Surgery
Patients should pay attention to the following when they complete the first month after surgery:
- Nutrition should be done in small portions as frequent meals
- All food must be chewed very well
- Exercise should be done regularly
- Do not consume water or other liquid food 15 minutes before and 15 minutes after meal
- At all meals, liquid and solid food should not be consumed at the same time
- In the first few months, water consumption should be limited. Only 1 liter of water should be consumed.
- Routine weight control should persistent.
- Vitamin supplements recommended by a nutritionist should be taken regularly