It is easy to gain a few pounds, https://emilybrydon.com/hunter-schafer-before/, losing weight is much more difficult. Obese individuals can relate to the difficulty and restriction they face. Excess weight causes limitation in mobility, flexibility and obstacles in performing everyday tasks. Being obese can have a damaging effect on the body and cause health complications and ailments like diabetes, hypertension, etc.
You must have had uncountable discussions on ways to lose weight, tried numerous diet and exercise regimes and yet not been successful in losing the weight. This whole ordeal can be disappointing and upsetting. As a solution, you may have even been suggested to undergo weight loss surgery. But, how would you know which surgery to choose or which surgery is best suited for you? Is gastric sleeve surgery as beneficial as it claims to be? This article should be able to help you answer those questions. Firstly, let’s answer the question, what exactly is a weight loss surgery?
What is weight loss surgery?
As the name suggests, the surgical intervention which aids an individual to lose weight by changing the physiology of the body or making modifications to the digestive system is termed as weight loss surgery. Weight loss surgery or bariatric surgery helps lose weight and reduces the risk of obesity-related medical problems. Depending upon the procedure of the surgery, there are several weight loss procedures. Bariatric surgery or metabolic surgery alters the digestive system to help you lose weight by limiting how much you can consume or by decreasing nutrient absorption or both. In order to achieve weight loss, different types of bariatric surgery work in different ways. In general, they are defined as either restrictive or malabsorptive in nature. Metabolic surgery or weight loss surgery are of several types depending on how they change the physiology of the body. Gastric bypass surgery is a gold standard for individuals who are morbidly obese while gastric sleeve surgery is slowing gaining popularity with its effectiveness and lesser complexities involved.
What is gastric sleeve surgery?
Gastric sleeve surgery or laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is a minimally invasive procedure to reduce the stomach size, which is now the most common weight loss surgery in India. Gastric sleeve surgery is recognized to dramatically improve the quality of life and health of the individual. Since the start of this century, gastric sleeve surgery has become more common as a primary bariatric treatment because this method is clinically safer and comparatively quicker than other bariatric procedures, showing a low complication rate, a mean weight loss comparable to other surgical techniques and a significant reduction in co-morbidity. In a gastric sleeve surgery, the stomach is roughly cut to the size of a banana or the shape of a sleeve and stapled off. The stomach pouch left behind is relatively smaller to the original size of the stomach. With the advancement in surgical technology, this procedure can now be done minimally invasively to minimize scarring and ensure quicker recovery.
Is gastric sleeve surgery for me?
Have you tried every diet there is, and yet failed to lose any significant weight? Are you suffering from type 2 diabetes or difficulty in mobility or chronic joint pain associated with weight or hypertension? Do you find it difficult to follow a diet or to control your appetite? Have you tried natural weight loss programs, and yet were dissatisfied with the results?
If you have answered yes to any of those questions, then that makes you an ideal candidate for gastric sleeve surgery. Some of the definite ways to know whether you are a candidate for gastric sleeve surgery are as follows:
- Gastric sleeve surgery is highly recommended procedure for those individuals who wish to lose weight drastically but find it extremely difficult to follow diet and exercise regimes owing to erratic lifestyle and eating habits.
- The general medical criteria to be eligible for gastric sleeve surgery is if you have a BMI of 35 or higher and/or suffer from co-morbidities like sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.
- Individuals who have had abdominal surgeries in the past and have scarring because of it, can opt for this procedure as it only works on the upper portion of the stomach area and less concerned with the abdominal scarring.
- If you are amongst the high-risk patient group, i.e. if you have any previous history of heart disease or lung problem or had a transplant procedure in the past, then this surgery is considered as it involves shorter down time and faster recovery.
- If you are morbidly obese, i.e. BMI of 40 or higher, you are considered are candidate for gastric sleeve surgery as it is easier to separate a portion of the stomach to ensure weight loss, rather than adding a band or re-routing the GI tract to lose weight. Excess fat limits the space in the abdomen to for the surgeon to work any other procedure.
- As gastric sleeve surgery is a restrictive procedure and not a malabsorptive procedure, it is ideal for patients who are under multiple medications to treat psychiatric ailments or any other concerns.
If you fit any of the above-mentioned criteria, then gastric sleeve surgery is suitable for you. These are the general criteria to determine candidacy for undergoing the procedure. Gastric sleeve surgery has benefitted many patients to lose weight and rid themselves of obesity-related diseases. However, we suggest you also approach a doctor or bariatric surgeon who will evaluate your complete health and provide you with the best treatment option.