Obesity is now considered an epidemic in many countries and represents a major health concern because of its several long-term health consequences. For example, obesity increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, liver disease, sleep apnea, and type 2 diabetes.
Weight loss surgery, also called bariatric surgery, is a surgical treatment to alter the digestive system to promote weight loss. Historically, weight loss surgery was seen as a high-risk procedure with many risks and complications. Fortunately, the science of medicine and the field of medical technology have evolved much since, in turn drastically transforming the world of bariatric surgery. It is now considered an effective and safe procedure with the potential to change the lives of obese individuals for the better.
What is bariatric surgery?
Bariatric surgery is a tool for weight loss. It helps people who struggle with obesity lose weight and also reduces their risk of suffering from life-threatening chronic illnesses, like heart disease or type 2 diabetes.
There are different types of weight loss surgery, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Patients can discuss the various alternatives with their surgeons to determine which surgery is the best for them. Many factors influence this decision, such as body mass index or BMI, eating habits, personal health risk factors, and past surgical history.
How to Qualify for Weight Loss Surgery
The general requirements for bariatric surgery are a body mass index or BMI of 40 or more. The surgery is also considered for people with a BMI of 35 or more and if they suffer from severe weight-related health issues, like type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure, acid reflux, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, or other visiting comorbidities.
Before undergoing the surgery, patients have to go through a screening process to see if they meet specific medical criteria and evaluate their willingness to make a change in their living habits.
History of Weight Loss Surgery
Since the first bariatric surgery was performed in the 1950s, surgery has not been considered the safest and could lead to long-term consequences.
In the 1970s, new techniques were developed, which focused on decreasing the size of the stomach. That is when the Roux-en-Y and sleeve gastrectomy surgeries were invented. Until the mid-1990s, weight loss surgeries were still only rarely performed because they were considered very invasive and often involved complications.
When laparoscopy stepped onto the scene, the whole game changed. Laparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive surgical approach that only requires small incisions. This new technique resulted in a dramatically lower rate of complications and reduced post-op pain for patients.
Since then, the number of bariatric surgeries performed has steadily increased. In 2018, 252,000 weight loss surgeries were performed in the US, compared to 13,000 in 2008 and 13,000 in 1998.
The Benefits of Weight Loss Surgery
Patients who undergo bariatric surgery and follow the recommendations of their doctors and dietitians after the surgery are likely to experience sustainable weight loss and keep the weight off. Achieving a healthy weight often resolves the comorbidities directly associated with obesity in addition to decreasing the obesity-related health risks, like the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future.
Patients who achieve weight loss following bariatric surgery are also more likely to live longer and happier lives. Indeed, many patients report an improved quality of life following their surgery and psychosocial benefits such as better self-esteem and less social isolation. Moreover, bariatric surgery is associated with an important reduction in the five-year risk of premature death when compared to not having the surgery.
Finally, bariatric surgery is significantly more effective for weight loss when compared to non-surgical methods, like exercising and dieting. Indeed, according to Dr. Elliot Fegelman, a medical director at Ethicon, in the United States, only 5% of individuals who try to lose weight using these methods succeed.
The Risks of Weight Loss Surgery
No matter how safe the procedure, there are always risks associated with surgery. Fortunately, it is possible to mitigate some of these risks. The best way to reduce the risks is by creating a strong support system around you, medically and mentally. For example, to avoid nutritional deficiencies, patients work in collaboration with dietitians to optimize their diet and supplementation regime.
Weight Loss Surgery Is Safe
More often than not, patients who are candidates for weight loss surgery face more risks avoiding the surgery than having it. Many of them have serious health issues such as lung problems, severe arthritis, diabetes, and high blood pressure, which cannot be controlled unless they lose weight. These issues pose a real threat to life and therefore have to be resolved, and, in these cases, weight loss surgeries can be life-changing.
A large study on the safety of bariatric surgery published in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that the surgery was both safe and effective. The 30-day post-surgery mortality rate in patients undergoing the Roux-en-Y or the laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding procedures is 0.3%, which is considerably low. It is ten times less than the risk of death during coronary bypass surgery and lower than the risk of a severely obese patient dying if they do not lose weight.
They also found that only 4.3% of patients suffer from one or more adverse events, but the rate of complications is higher in individuals who have a history of clotting disorders or sleep apnea. Other sources claim that bariatric surgery poses the same risk as laparoscopic gallbladder surgery, commonly performed in the United States. Some people are even able to go home the day following the surgery.
How to Get Started With Weight Loss Surgery
Recent studies on weight loss surgery have established strong evidence of its safety and efficacy. Therefore, when patients are appropriately selected, the benefits of performing the surgery far outweigh the risks. As with any medical decision, patients should consult a healthcare professional or surgeon about what options are best for their case.
PatientPartner can alleviate the hours of research by instantly connecting you with a weight loss surgeon in your area that accepts your insurance. All of the surgeons in our network are vetted and reputable in the bariatric surgery community. Find a surgeon near you!
If you want to learn more about weight loss surgery, we recommend talking to someone who has been through surgery before. They will have lots of insights into what surgery was like, will understand the nerves, and they can share how weight loss surgery has changed their life. Match with a mentor now, and take one step closer to living the life you wish you could.
References
https://asmbs.org/resources/nejm-significant-study-on-the-safety-of-bariatric-surgery
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32870301/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3470459/
https://www.osfhealthcare.org/blog/is-weight-loss-surgery-safe/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/269487#Patients-need-better-advice-to-make-decisions
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/bariatric-surgery/about/pac-2039425
