Gastric bypass is a kind of bariatric surgery, which helps in weight loss. This surgery aims to make changes so that your stomach becomes smaller than it used to be. This limits the amount of food you consume and effectively helps you to reduce weight.

Are you fit for the surgery?

Not everybody can go in for this surgery. Your doctor will recommend this surgery after careful evaluation. These are the parameters based on which your doctor will make a decision-

  Your medical history - If you suffer from sleep apnoea, heart ailments, liver diseases, kidney stones or if you have blood clots then you might have to undergo the surgery.

  Your psychological status - Sometimes obesity is the outcome of certain psychological ailments. A doctor will first ensure that these conditions are addressed before you go under the knife.

How is the surgery performed?

Gastric bypass operation is performed under general anaesthesia so you will be asleep for the entire duration of the surgery and it will be pain-free. The surgery is done laparoscopically. Tiny incisions are made through which scope and fine surgical instruments are introduced into the abdominal cavity. The camera guides the surgeon by providing live images from inside the body. Laparoscopic gastric surgery is advantageous because the wound heals faster and does not leave any marks.

Sometimes your surgeon might opt for an open surgery where she/he makes a large incision to reach the stomach.

There are two major steps to the surgery-

  The aim of the surgery is to make the stomach smaller so the surgeon divides it into two portions with staples. The food that you eat will go into the upper part (the pouch) of the stomach. The reduced upper stomach can hold at the most 28 grams of food so you are forced to eat less than usual. This will help you lose weight.

  The other step is the bypass surgery. After the pouch is created, the surgeon links it to the small intestine through the small hole in the pouch. This way, food will pass directly from the pouch to the small intestine. The surgery takes around 3-4 hours. You will be kept under observation for a couple of days and you will be released from the hospital in a week.

Gastric bypass operation is an effective and simple surgery that can help you reach your weight goals when you have a very high BMI and most other dietary restrictions have not been successful.

Gastric Bypass Surgery - Everything You Should Know!

Breast examination is a way of detecting early changes that help in detecting lumps or other growth in the breast. This is a manual form of examination that may be carried out by the doctor or even by the patient. This kind of examination helps in detecting the onset of breast cancer and helps in successful treatment of the same. It is an essential screening strategy that all women must go through. Let us cast a glance on the various details regarding this examination, and also how frequently it must be conducted.

Age: Women who have reached the age of 18 are said to have matured physically and sexually. They should perform this examination once they have reached the said age in order to detect any anomalies in the way the physical changes occur in the breast tissue.
Procedure: One should begin by looking at one's reflection in the mirror to find any rashes or dimpling in the breasts. The shape, size and colour of the breasts and nipples must also be studied so as to check for any anomalies. Inverted nipples, redness and soreness must also be reported to the doctor. Once you are done checking the visuals, you can raise your arms and look for any changes. Then, you will need to lie down and feel your breasts by using a circular motion. The finger pads must be used in order to check for any lumps. One must start from the centre and move the breasts sideways. Any wet and slippery feeling must be reported to the doctor immediately.
Pressure: During the breast examination, you must use light pressure for the skin and tissue that lie beneath the breasts, while medium to moderate pressure should be used for the middle portion of the breasts. One must use a firm hand to check the tissue that lies at the back of the breasts, near the rib cage.
Frequency: One must get into the habit of conducting a breast examination at least once a fortnight or once a month, without fail. You can also go to the gynaecologist for an examination in case you are not confident of conducting it on your own with proper movements and accuracy. You may also journalise your breast examination findings.
Menstrual Cycles: When you are going through your menstrual cycle or period, it is important to remember that your breasts can become tender just before or after the start of the cycle. So, do not panic if you think you have found a lump or any other growth at this time. It is best to check again after a week and then visit the doctor about checking the same.

How Frequently Should a Breast Examination Be Done?

A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure that is done to remove your uterus. Robotic hysterectomy is a more preferred procedure than open surgeries because:

They cause minimal discomfort.
They have better recovery options.
Loss of blood is minimized
The pain associated with the usual surgical procedures are less compared to other options.
This is one of the best procedures that have been designed after years of research in the field of robotics. It is true that they are safe, but it does not mean that there are immediate recovery options. The bottom line is that it is a procedure to remove the uterus and you have to give due importance to the recovery procedures that come along with such robotic surgeries. Let us have look at them.

Recovery
The recovery period depends on the type of surgery you had and also depends on a case to case basis. However, you might be asked to stay overnight in the hospital for observation. You would be constantly monitored during this period and any complications that might arise are given utmost care.

Pain medications and medicines to prevent infections that might arise due to the surgery are given during this period.
You may experience a light vaginal bleeding for a few days. However, this is normal and will gradually ease out. In case the ovaries are removed, the recovery period is extremely crucial. You will no longer have menstrual periods and your body would immediately start adapting to the menopause cycle.
During this transition, the hormonal changes start to occur and you might be experiencing mood swings and hot flashes. You may also experience periods of night sweats. However, all these factors are common occurrences and your body would gradually adapt to these changes. The exact recovery period can range from a week to about six weeks. During these times, you would be given the following advice:

Take plenty of rest and limit your activities.
Do not lift any weights or do any rigorous tasks during these periods.
Any sorts of sexual intercourse must be avoided till you heal completely. Talk to your doctor about this and get to know more about the recovery options.
Never miss a periodic check-up during these times.
Always take the prescribed medications on time.
There can be some sense of loss of your uterus during this period. For some women, this can mean that they would not be able to bear a child. These are some of the common stress factors that come into play during the recovery period. Watch out for them and get emotional support guidance from the counsellor, if the need arises.

Underwent A Robotic Hysterectomy? Here Are Some Recovery Tips!

Colorectal surgery is the broad term for surgical procedures performed on the colon, the rectum and the anus. There are various different surgical procedures which fall under colorectal surgery and these are used to treat a vast array of disorders, such as:
1. Anal cancer
2. Colorectal cancer
3. Severe complications related to constipation
4. Anal injuries
5. Inflammatory conditions of the gastrointestinal tract
6. Congenital defects

Procedures
The surgeries under colorectal surgery are performed after diagnostic tests such as proctoscopy, sigmoidoscopy and defecating proctography. The most common diagnostic test is colonoscopy. These help to identify the origin and nature of the problem and decide which surgical procedure is to be followed. The procedures under colorectal surgery are as follows:

Colectomy
This procedure involves removal of a section of the large intestine. This is known as partial colectomy. In extreme cases, such as advanced cancer or severe gastrointestinal infection, the entire colon is removed and this is called total colectomy. Sometimes, the rectum is also taken out along with the colon and this is called proctocolectomy.

Colonic polypectomy
An abnormal growth of tissues in the inner lining of an organ is known as a polyp. Colonic polypectomy is done to eliminate polyps from the colon and rectum before they become malignant. This can be done endoscopically. Surgery is required in case of large polyps.

Strictureplasty
Chronic or repeated bowel inflammation causes scar tissue to accumulate in the large intestine. This results in the narrowing of the colon. Stricturoplasty removes the scar tissue so that proper flow of digestive contents is resumed.

Colostomy or ileostomy
A damaged section of the colon is removed and the shortened intestine is then attached to another opening (stoma) in the anterior wall of the abdomen.

Hemorrhoidectomy
This surgical process is used for swollen hemorrhoids or blood vessels, which form in the anal canal. Hemorrhoidectomy is extremely effective in removing hemorrhoids, but the surgery also involves a number of complications.

Anoplasty
Anoplasty or imperforate anus correction is done to correct birth defects in the rectum and the anus. The structural flaw does not allow the stool to pass properly from the rectum and so it is repaired through surgery.

All About Colorectal Surgery

Are you experiencing frequent and extended heartburn on a regular basis? This might indicate that you are having gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). It is a type of digestive disorder that affects your lower esophageal sphincters. The condition involves the return of the stomach s content back to your esophagus. Although heartburns are common, GERD involves chronic heartburns, which require an adequate treatment. 

Here the some important reasons why you should not ignore the symptoms of GERD:

Esophagitis: In case of GERD, the food, acid and digestive juices flow back from the stomach to the esophagus. This leads to irritation and swelling with time, which is called esophagitis. In case you have acid exposure in your esophagus for a few weeks, inflammation of the lining is indicated. This can be very painful and uncomfortable, making the esophagus more prone to scarring and further erosion.
Esophageal stricture: If esophagitis continues for a long time, scar tissues can lead to the narrowing of the esophagus. This is known as a stricture, which makes swallowing very difficult and painful. Large chunks of food may get stuck and you are more likely to choke while eating or drinking. You may tend to avoid food and water because of esophageal stricture, which may result in weight loss.
Throat and voice problems: Apart from heartburn, several other symptoms may also appear because of GERD. These are called cases of silent reflux where you may not experience heartburn. Instead, other issues are indicated which include voice hoarseness, voice changes, sore throat and chronic coughing.
Breathing problems: If stomach acid is inhaled after regurgitation, the symptoms of asthma and pneumonia may worsen because of GERD. Shortness of breath and breathing difficulties are likely, even without any lung problem.
Tooth decay: When the stomach acids and digestive juices go back to the esophagus and into the mouth, it leaves a sour taste. In case it occurs frequently, it wears away your tooth enamel and results in tooth decay. People experiencing acid reflux induced erosion may be unaware of the damage being caused until it reaches peak stages.
Esophageal ulcers: Stomach acid may result in the wearing away of the esophageal lining, resulting in ulcers and sores. These esophageal ulcers are different from stomach ulcers, which occur from bacteria. Patients with esophageal ulcers may vomit blood, and notice blood in stool. It is usually darker than its usual shade and may have the texture of coffee ground like particles.
It is important for you to visit a doctor immediately after experiencing the symptoms of GERD. This condition may cause severe distress if you let it advance, and hence, early diagnosis and treatment are very important.

GERD - Reasons Why You Should Not Ignore The Signs!

Any kind of injury on the surface of the skin is immediately noticed by us, but when something happens to one of our internal organs, it can take a little longer to get to your notice for example, an obstruction in the bile duct. The bile duct is a tubular structure responsible for carrying bile from the liver and gall bladder through the pancreas to the small intestine. This bile helps the digestion process and the absorption of fat.

An obstruction in the bile duct can be triggered by a number of factors. Some of these are:

    Gallstones
    Inflammation of the bile ducts
    Cysts
    Traumatic accidents
    Bile duct or pancreatic tumors
    Hepatitis infections
    Cirrhosis or severe liver damage
    Abnormal narrowing of the bile duct

This can affect anyone, but the people who have a history of gall stones or tumors in the abdomen are at a higher risk of suffering from bile duct obstruction. Chronic pancreatitis, sudden weight loss or obesity can also increase this risk. The symptoms of biliary obstruction include light coloured stool, dark urine, pain in the upper right abdomen, nausea, vomiting and fever. Your doctor will also probably need an X-ray of the bile ducts, blood tests, a hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid scan and ultrasonograph to confirm a diagnosis before they can start treating you for the same.

If not treated in time, bile duct blockages can lead to a dangerous buildup of bilirubin in the body and trigger a number of life threatening diseases. Treatment for biliary obstruction can be through medication or surgery with surgery being the more preferred mode of treatment. It is aimed at resolving the underlying cause of the obstruction and alleviating the blockage. Treatment for biliary obstruction can be two common forms of treatment include a cholecystectomy and ERCP. The former involves the removal of the gall bladder and is suited to obstructions caused by gallstones. The latter is a procedure to remove small stones from the bile duct or place a stent inside the duct.

There are many ways bile duct obstruction can be prevented which first and foremost includes following a healthy lifestyle. If you are overweight, exercise for at least half an hour a day to regulate your weight and reach a healthy BMI. Decrease your intake of sugar and saturated fats as both these can cause gall stones. Also, increase the amount of fibre in your diet. All the above mentioned tips will certainly help you in preventing bile duct obstruction.

Bile Duct Blockage -  8 Factors Behind it!

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