When dieting and exercising fail to help an obese person manage their weight, bariatric surgery may be suggested. One of the most popular types of bariatric surgery is a gastric sleeve surgery or sleeve gastrectomy. The main aim of this surgery is to reduce the amount of food that can be consumed in one sitting. It does not affect the amount of nutrients and fats absorbed from the food that has been eaten. A majority of the weight loss resulting from this surgery happens within 12-18 months.

A gastric sleeve surgery is a relatively safe, straightforward and short surgery. Prior to surgery, few patients would have been given a special diet.  This surgery is always  performed laparoscopically popularly known as keyhole route. More than half the outer side of the stomach is removed. The remaining part of the stomach takes the form of a tube. 

Though recovery from any surgery varies from person to person, most patients are able to walk and allowed sips of water by evening. Though certain amount of pain and discomfort is expected, this remains in bearable range with pain killers. Usually liquid diet is advised for 2 weeks followed by soft foods for 4 weeks.

You will notice that you feel fuller much faster and are able to consume a very limited portion of your normal food intake. It is essential to drink plenty of water to remain adequately hydrated and to prevent constipation.

On an average, this surgery can help people lose up to 70% - 100%% of their excess body weight. However, this depends largely on your understanding and compliance of post operative dietary changes. A dietician can also help you make right food choices, decide meal portions and address the right number of meals needed by your body. For long term weight maintenance it is important not to fall back to your earlier lifestyle and to maintain a positive attitude.

Gastric Sleeve Surgery - What Is The Process Of It?

Are your regular exercises and the strict diet proving futile on your quest for a tighter and a flatter tummy? You can consider getting an 'abdominoplasty' or 'tummy tuck' done. This cosmetic surgery helps in flattening your abdomen by taking off the extra skin and fat and tightening up the muscles in the walls of your abdomen.

The procedure
1. The first step involves choosing a surgeon for consultation.
2. There are two types of  tummy tuck  surgery, both carried out under general anesthesia.  Complete abdominoplasty  whereby, your surgeon would dissect your abdomen from one hipbone to the other and then give an outline to your muscle, tissue and skin.  Mini or partial abdominoplasty  are recommended for people whose fat deposits are underneath their naval region.

Complete Abdominoplasty
 Complete Abdominoplasty  involves making a big incision around the lower part of the tummy from one hip to another, making a second cut in order to free the belly of the tissue that surrounds that region, separating the skin from the walls around the abdomen, re-aligning the muscles in the abdomen, removing the supplementary skin and fat and then pulling forth the skin remains and stitching them too.

Partial Abdominoplasty
Partial Abdominoplasty requires making a large cut on the lower belly, separating the skin from your abdominal wall, cutting out the excess fat, removing the additional skin and holding the remaining part of the skin together and finally stitching it in place.

Time taken for the surgery
The surgery may stretch from one to about five hours.

Pre-requisites

You will have to cut down on the consumption of alcohol and especially smoking; smoking leads to more complication and slows down the healing process.
It is recommended to have a well-balanced meal before the surgery.
After-care

You may suffer from swelling and pain in the days after the surgery, for which your doctor would prescribe pain-killers.
Regardless of the type of surgery conducted, the portion that was operated on would be stitched and bandaged. Therefore, it is very important to abide by the surgeon s instructions about how you should take care of the dressing in the days to follow.

Tummy Fat - Can Surgery Be Considered to Reduce it?

Tummy tuck surgery or Abdominoplasty is a cosmetic plastic surgery procedure which tightens the muscles of your tummy. Loose skin and fat from your abdomen are also removed and as a result, the abdomen gets flat and toned. This surgery is common among women after pregnancy who want to restore their figure. This surgery also assists patients who have lost a large amount of weight in a short time period. Most tummy tuck surgeries are carried out for cosmetic reasons. However, there are certain medical benefits, which are gained after an abdominplasty is carried out. They are enlisted below.

Stress urinary incontinence is reduced: After giving birth, many women develop Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI). This is a bladder control disorder that causes leakage of urine without control when you sneeze, cough or laugh loudly. Usually, this disorder can be treated without having a surgery, but in certain cases a tummy tuck enables speedy recovery in patients who did not have a caesarian section. A slight amount of bladder obstruction is created, which reduces the SUI.
Gives you a better posture and enhanced abdominal tone: The stomach muscles sometimes become distended due to extreme loss of weight or because of pregnancy. A tummy tuck surgery helps in tightening of the weak muscles, removes excess fat and skin and the abdomen gets flattened. After carrying out a tummy tuck, people get an improved posture as the tightened muscles provide better support to the vertebrae.
Correction of ventral hernia: A ventral hernia occurs due to the breake down of intestinal or abdominal tissues through the abdomen walls, and a sack is formed. The causes include abdominal weakness as a result of huge weight loss or previous surgeries.
The symptoms that lead to a ventral hernia correction are similar to the symptoms of a tummy tuck, as both the surgeries rectify abdominal muscles. Once you have a ventral hernia correction, you may need to repeat it again. In case you have this type of surgery, it is recommended that you should also have a tummy tuck done. This might prevent future occurrence as the combined methods leave you in a much safer condition. Medical expenses and recovery time are also reduced.

Tummy tuck surgery is becoming increasingly popular these days. It is a major surgery which requires almost five hours to be completed successfully. A tummy tuck can remove up to ten pounds of fat from a person s abdomen. It takes several weeks to recover after having a tummy tuck surgery.

Tummy Tuck -  Understanding the Benefits!

If you have taken the big decision to go ahead with bariatric surgery, one thing you need to prepare for well in advance is the additional effort that is required after the surgery to ensure it is a success. The results will be evident only after a few months post the surgery. This period requires your constant attention. 

Listed below are some after-care measures that are essential for the success of a bariatric surgery.

Hospital stay: Most patients are advised hospital stay for four days, during which the hospital staff will ensure the sleeve is working fine. No food is allowed for 48 hours. Diet is gradually advanced from water to clear liquids, about 50 ml to 100 ml and then to 150 ml.
Wound care: Depending on whether a laparoscopic or open surgery was done, the number and location of incisions will vary. However, the wound should be maintained clean and it should be ensured that there is no infection of the site. Wound care should be done by the nursing staff if required. Suture removal, if required, should be done as per doctor s advice.
Pain management: Finish the course of antibiotics and pain killers to ensure infection is completely gone. Pain would continue, if the infection is not completely controlled.
Diet: The first two weeks would be a completely liquid diet. The next two weeks will consist of a pureed diet. After these four weeks, solid foods will be introduced.
Foods to avoid after a bariatric surgery include anything with a higher protein content and anything that has too much oil as the stomach s ability to digest these is reduced. Refrain from:

Carbonated beverages
Hard meat
Nuts and seeds
Fried foods
Food items to include post bariatric surgery include those which are easy on the stomach, including:

Liquids such as soups, broth, juice, and milk
Pureed cooked vegetables and eggs
Soft mashed food including meat and vegetables
Adherence to this will reduce complications. While eating, the patient should also remember to chew nicely, eat and drink slowly, increase water intake throughout the day, and avoid fats and sugar. It is advisable to eat three proper meals a day and avoid snacking during the day.

Remember that the need for bariatric surgery arose in the first place due to uncontrolled eating of oily food. After undergoing a bariatric surgery, diet pattern is definitely going to move to a healthier side with reduced fat and sugars. It is not an easy shift, but definitely required, if the surgery is to be a success. Imagine the new you and you will be able to do it!

Bariatric Surgery - Aftercare Tips You Must Follow!

Bariatric surgery is advised in cases of morbid obesity (BMI >37.5). This degree of obesity is usually associated with comorbidities like diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, obstructive sleep apnea, infertility, knee joint pains, etc. In the present scenario, when all efforts of weight loss seem ineffective, bariatric surgery seems to be the only way to lose excess weight in the morbidly obese patients. Undergoing bariatric or weight loss surgery requires some preparation prior to surgery, and also after surgery to ensure its success.

Most of them will have an enlarged fatty liver, hence a low-calorie diet is advised so that the fatty liver does not pose problems during surgery. Due to obesity, there will be a compromise on the lung function, decreasing the lung capacity. Hence improving the lung function is of importance from the anaesthetic point of view and also concerning the quick postoperative recovery.

For the first few months following surgery, there will be a significant reduction in the intake of food, as the size of the gastric pouch has been decreased. In addition, there will be some restrictions on the caloric density of food for the first few months after surgery. However, for a person who understands these requirements and is willing to so, the long-term benefits are multiple. 

Read on to know how bariatric surgery can turn your life around.

Weight loss: One of the first benefits they would see is weight loss which starts right from the first week following surgery. The patients are so very happy to see this weight loss which they had not seen in spite of all their attempts at losing weight over the last few years. This boosts their morale and helps them to follow the instructions given to them more diligently, as they are seeing results. The weight loss is maximum in the first 6 months following surgery and in fact, this is called the honeymoon period for weight loss. A monthly follow up with the doctor is essential and up to 60 to 70% of the excess weight is lost in the first 6 months. It takes another 3 to 4 months to lose the remaining excess weight.

Emotional gains: For a person who is used to seeing an obese image in the mirror, it is a great morale booster to see that image changing to a slender version. This is a big boost to continue the effort towards diet and exercise, which will only improve the confidence and esteem levels.

Overall health: Morbid obesity is not an isolated condition. It brings with it a host of medical issues including sleep apnoea, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, etc. With obesity under control, these conditions also begin to improve and the person s overall quality of life begins to improve. This, in turn, provides a big boost for the person to continue working at weight loss.

Reduced healthcare expenses: Obese people often need to eat various medications to manage overall health. There could also be emotional health management issues. With this controlled, the patient spends less on overall health and feels good again.

Social connect: Morbid obesity is both a physical and an emotional blockage for a person to engage socially. Once it is controlled, the person is more confident in meeting people and participating in social activities. This further leads to increased overall happiness.

Active life: With reduced weight, the person s level of activity improves. What seemed difficult earlier is suddenly doable. A person who could not walk some steps is able to, and this is a big booster.

People who undergo bariatric surgery require quite a bit of effort to change their overall lifestyle. However, the benefits are for them to see for themselves, and that is the biggest motivator to continue working towards their goal. Family support is definitely required to boost up the morale. The benefits are there for all to reap.

Bariatric Surgery - Stunning Gains You Must Know!

Bariatric surgery is unlike other surgeries, the success is defined after 6-18months later. It is not without its complications. But complications managed well by Bariatric surgeons and the introduction of Laproscopy, it gives advantages of reduced post-op pain to less incisional hernias and less post-operative hospital stay. 

Sometime problems may happen like- 

Post-operative bleeding: Managed well by the surgeon. 
Dehydration: Chances of dehydration, therefore, one of the main post-op instructions, would be to increase water intake significantly, after the first week of course, when water is included in the diet. For someone who is not used to drinking lots of water, this can be difficult. 
Indigestion: Difficulty digesting food after the surgery is very common. There could be a burning sensation in the stomach. This is often managed by dietary changes like avoiding fatty foods, eating small frequent meals, avoiding too much sugary food items, etc. Too much fruits and vegetables should not be introduced early on, as fibre can be difficult to digest. Avoid fruits like nuts, seeds, fried foods, processed foods, etc. Gradually moving from water to pureed diet to semi-solids to solids can help in getting the stomach used to it. 
Vitamin and mineral deficiency: With the drastic cut in the amount of food consumption, there could be multiple problems including skin rashes, weak bones, dental issues, hair loss, gallstones, kidney stones, etc. All these are due to deficiency of various essential minerals like calcium, potassium, etc. This can be managed through minor diet modifications to ensure the body gets the required minerals and vitamins, even if they are in the form of supplements. 
Dumping syndrome: With a reduced size of the stomach, the food moves from the stomach into the smaller intestine much faster. Therefore, the sugar levels increase rapidly, producing various symptoms like bloating, diarrhoea, nausea, weakness, and anxiety. This is managed by eating less amount of sugars and fats and spacing out the meals through the day. Five to six small meals are preferred over 2 to 3 large meals. Some people also get relief from lying down after eating. 
Hernias: Less after laproscopic surgery but sometime it may happen. 
Diet changes: Whether it is medications or foods, some substances have to be knocked off your list. A detailed diet plan should be made with the doctor, as some can affect the stomach in an adverse manner. 
Altered bowel habits: Some people may have diarrhoea, others have constipation. Looking into one s diet and making suitable changes will help. Therefore, it is very important that you must keep regular follow-up and consultation with your surgeon, in order to avoid complications.

Bariatric Surgery - 8 Complications It Can Cause!

Don't wait any longer, manage your Vaser Liposuction online with a Lybrate doctor today

Consult for Vaser Liposuction - Online and Easy!

FilterClear All

COMMON SPECIALITIES

COMMON ISSUES