Weight Loss Surgery
Several celebrities such as Fern Britton and Sharon Ozbourne have revealed their weight loss was due to surgery, followed by the relevant restrictive diet rather than willpower alone….
Gastric banding, gastric bypassand the gastric sleeve are the three main types of surgery available for treating obesity once all other attempts to change lifestyle have failed. Evaluation by a multidisciplinary team with access to medical, surgical, psychiatric and nutritional expertise to determine suitablility for the procedure. Patients with BMI > 40kg/m2 or BMI >35kg/m2 with one or more severe obesity related medical conditions (e.g. Blood Pressure, Type 2 Diabetes or Sleep Apnoea) can be considered for surgery if they have been or unable to achieve or maintain weight loss with combined therapy, have acceptable operative risks and are able to comply with long term treatment and follow up. Patients with BMI > 50kg/m2 are often offered bariatric surgery as a first line treatment due to the immediate extreme health risks associated with being “morbidly” obese.
The Gastric Band
Lap banding places a silicone / plastic ring around the upper stomach and a balloon inside the ring that can be inflated to vary the amount of restriction to the passage of food. By narrowing the inlet to the stomach, the passage of food into the stomach is slowed down. This restriction means that portion size is reduced, food must be chewed properly and meals take longer to complete.
Gastric Bypass
It works by dividing the stomach to create a very small new stomach pouch to which is connected to the small intestine. The digestive juices only meet the food lower down in the small intestine so there is an element of malabsorption of food in addition to the restrictive effect of the stomach stapling.
Similar to all types of surgery, there are risks associated with any of the above weight loss procedures. It is essential to be well informed and discuss the suitability and risks of each procedure with a consultant before making any serious decision.
Expected Weight Loss
Patients with BMI >40kg/m2 can expect to lose 28 – > 40kgs
Example: Height 5ft 7”, Weight 18st 7 lbs can expect to lose 4 ½ – 6 ½ stones
The average weight loss reported is aprox 2/3 of pre surgery body weight.
Post Operative Care
Care should be available to manage the post-op problems as they occur. Patients should receive dietary and where appropriate, psychological advice to help them modify their eating habits, maintain weight loss and prevent complications such as vomiting, diarrhoea and dumping syndrome.
Nutri Vive Nutrition Clinic
Contact the clinic if you are thinking aboutt weigth loss surgery but would like to try a less drastic measure first to improve your health and wellbeing.
The “Shape Up” Weight Loss Programme.
It is unique because it is a 20 week programme involving a Dietitian to combine knowledge with support for behaviour change and also has prescribed exercise by fitness experts.
References:
Guidelines for the delivery of obesity surgery.
A Tanner, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland 21st February 2008.
DOM UK 2007
