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Home Specialities Bariatric Surgery

Bariatric Surgery

Bariatric surgery, also called metabolic surgery, is a medical procedure designed to alter the digestive system to assist in significant weight loss. It is considered when diet and exercise haven't worked or when overweight people have serious health problems. Bariatric surgery can limit how much one can eat, reduce the body's ability to absorb nutrients, or both. While offering many benefits, it is a significant procedure with potential risks and requires permanent lifestyle changes.

What is bariatric surgery ?

Bariatric surgery, also known as metabolic surgery, involves making changes to your digestive system to help you lose weight. It is considered when diet and exercise haven't worked or when you have serious health problems due to your weight. Bariatric surgery can limit how much you can eat, reduce the body's ability to absorb nutrients, or both. While offering many benefits, it is a major procedure with potential risks and requires permanent lifestyle changes.

Your weight alone does not determine if you qualify for bariatric surgery; it depends on your BMI. According to Asian guidelines, you are eligible for bariatric surgery if:

  • Your BMI is ≥ 37 with no co-morbidities, or
  • Your BMI is ≥ 30 with at least two or more obesity-related co-morbidities, such as type II

diabetes (T2DM), hypertension, sleep apnea, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, osteoarthritis, lipid abnormalities, gastrointestinal disorders, or heart disease.

Symptoms

Candidates for bariatric surgery typically struggle with severe obesity and related health conditions that have not responded to traditional weight loss methods such as diet and exercise.

Types of bariatric surgery

KD Hospital offers a variety of bariatric weight loss procedures, including:

  • Gastric bypass surgery (Roux-en-Y): This procedure is the most common method of gastric bypass. It decreases the amount of food you can eat in one sitting and reduces the absorption of nutrients. The surgeon creates a small pouch at the top of the stomach and connects it directly to the small intestine, bypassing a large portion of the stomach and the first section of the small intestine.
  • Sleeve gastrectomy: This surgery involves removing about 80% of the stomach, leaving a long, tube-like pouch. This smaller stomach can't hold as much food and produces less of the appetite-regulating hormone ghrelin, which may lessen the desire to eat.
  • Mini gastric bypass: Similar to the traditional gastric bypass, this procedure involves creating a smaller stomach pouch and bypassing a portion of the small intestine. It is less complex than the Roux-en-Y and may result in fewer complications, but it also effectively reduces food intake and nutrient absorption.
  • Biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) surgery: This surgery involves two parts. First, a sleeve gastrectomy is performed. Then, the surgeon bypasses a significant portion of the small intestine. It limits your food intake and reduces nutrient absorption, leading to more significant weight loss and a higher risk of nutrient deficiencies.
  • Single port bariatric surgeries: These minimally invasive procedures are performed using a single incision, typically through the navel. They include various types of bariatric surgeries, such as gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy, and offer benefits like reduced scarring, shorter recovery times, and less postoperative pain.
  • Diabetes surgery for low BMI Patients: Surgery is specifically designed for patients with type 2 diabetes who have a lower BMI (between 30 and 34.9). It involves procedures like gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy to help control blood sugar levels and potentially achieve remission of diabetes, even in patients who are not severely obese.

Risks

As with any major procedure, bariatric surgery poses potential health risks both in the short term and long term. Short-term risks can include excessive bleeding, infection, reactions to anaesthesia, and blood clots. Long-term risks vary by surgery type but can include bowel obstruction, dumping syndrome, gallstones, hernias, low blood sugar, malnutrition, ulcers, and acid reflux.

Procedure

Bariatric surgery is performed in a hospital using general anaesthesia. The specific type of surgery and the surgical method (open or laparoscopic surgery) depend on your situation. Recovery typically involves a few days in the hospital under medical supervision.

After surgery

After bariatric surgery, you won't be allowed to eat for 1-2 days to let your stomach and digestive system heal. You'll then follow a specific diet, starting with liquids and progressing to pureed and soft foods before returning to regular foods. Regular medical checkups are essential to monitor your health and nutrition. Successful weight loss also requires permanent lifestyle changes, including a healthy diet and regular exercise.

We perform over 60 surgeries per month, and the number is continuously growing. In addition to being known for performing the best weight loss surgery in Ahmedabad, we also provide the best lifetime post-surgery support and care in India.

Our doctors

Dr. Manish Khaitan

MBBS, MS (General Surgery), FIAS Specialize in GI & Bariatric Surgery