What is Bariatric Surgery?
Bariatric surgery plays a critical role in treating severe obesity. This branch of surgery is a key option for individuals who have not achieved significant weight loss through diet and exercise alone.
The core principle of bariatric surgery involves altering the size of the patient’s stomach through specific surgical procedures. This approach is based on two main concepts:
- Feeling Full Faster: A smaller stomach allows patients to reach a feeling of fullness more quickly, helping to control their appetite.
- Limited Nutrient Absorption: The reduced stomach size also limits the body’s ability to absorb nutrients during meals compared to normal conditions.
One advantage of this surgical branch is that some options are reversible, meaning they do not result in permanent changes to the patient’s body. For instance, the mini gastric bypass prevents food from accessing part of the stomach without requiring its removal, unlike other more invasive procedures.
Benefits: Increased Life Expectancy
Severe obesity is associated with numerous health complications that can significantly shorten life expectancy. Bariatric surgery enables patients to lose up to 70-80% of their excess weight through advanced techniques, resulting in immediate benefits related to life expectancy by restoring a healthier weight.
Specifically, weight loss achieved through bariatric surgery helps prevent and resolve various conditions, including cardiovascular, metabolic, cancer-related, and respiratory diseases. The likelihood of developing these diseases increases with a higher presence of body fat. Studies have shown that obesity raises the risk of certain cancers by over 40%, particularly affecting the esophagus, colon, kidneys, liver, pancreas, and thyroid.
Bariatric surgery is intended for individuals with third-degree obesity or those with second-degree obesity accompanied by associated diseases that require immediate intervention. It is essential to recognize that this procedure is a solution for cases where diets and exercise have failed to prevent obesity. Ideally, maintaining a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle should be the first and best approach to avoid the need for surgery.
Interested in Learning More About Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery?
Schedule an informational appointment with Dr. Marco Anselmino, Specialist in Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery.
