Bariatric surgery, also called weight loss surgery, is a category of surgical operations intended to help people with obesity lose weight. Healthcare providers may recommend bariatric surgery if other weight loss methods have failed and if obesity appears to pose a greater risk to your health than surgery.

Bariatric surgery procedures work by modifying your digestive system usually your stomach, and sometimes also your small intestine to control how many calories you can consume and absorb. They can also reduce the hunger signals that travel from your digestive system to your brain.

These procedures can help treat and prevent many metabolic diseases related to obesity, including diabetes and fatty liver disease.

Bariatric surgery is the most successful long-term treatment for class III obesity. It is nearly impossible for people with class III obesity to sustain weight loss through diet and exercise alone. Once your body has noted your higher weight as “normal,” it continues to try to return to that weight. Bariatric surgery works by changing how your body manages what you eat, allowing a healthy diet and lifestyle changes to be effective for sustained weight loss and health.

• High cholesterol. Hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol) means your blood has too many lipids (fats) in it. These can add up and lead to blockages in your blood vessels. This is why high cholesterol can put you at risk for a stroke or heart attack.
• High blood pressure. Hypertension (high blood pressure) means the force of blood flowing through your blood vessels is too high. This wears down the walls of your blood vessels and puts you at greater risk of heart attack and stroke.
• High blood sugar. Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) is highly linked to insulin resistance and is considered a precursor to diabetes. Left untreated, it can damage your nerves, blood vessels, tissues, and organs, increasing your risk of many diseases.
• Type 2 diabetes. Excess fat storage can lead to insulin resistance, which can lead to adult-onset diabetes (type 2). The risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases by 20% for each 1-point increase on the BMI (body mass index) scale.
• Heart disease. Obesity can lead to impaired cardiac function and congestive heart failure. It can also cause plaque to build up inside your arteries and increases your risk of heart attack and stroke.
• Kidney disease. Metabolic syndromes associated with obesity, including high blood pressure, insulin resistance, and congestive heart failure, are major contributors to chronic kidney disease and kidney failure.
• Obstructive sleep apnea. People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep when their upper respiratory tract becomes blocked. These episodes reduce oxygen flow to the vital organs and particularly endanger the heart.
• Osteoarthritis. Having excess weight puts extra pressure on joints like your knees. This makes it more likely that you’ll develop osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease, or make it worse if you already have it.
• Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD occurs when your body begins depositing excess fat in your liver. It can lead to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), chronic inflammation that can do long-term damage to your liver.
• Cancer. While the connection isn’t entirely understood, obesity is correlated with a raised risk of acquiring more than a dozen types of cancer. It also increases your risk of death from cancer by more than 50%.

Most people — about 90% — lose about 50% of their excess weight after bariatric surgery, and keep it off. Different procedures have slightly different results. The average weight loss after gastric bypass is about 70% of excess body weight. After a duodenal switch, it’s about 80%. Weight loss after sleeve gastrectomy ranges between 30% and 80%. These results are measured after a period of 18 to 24 months.

• Significant, sustained weight loss. Surgery is the only treatment that has been proven effective for class III obesity over the long term.
• Reduced hunger hormones and improved metabolism. Surgery is the only obesity treatment that rewires your body’s metabolic programming after obesity to prevent weight regain.
• Cholesterol and blood sugar control. Weight loss surgery often causes remission of diabetes symptoms and allows people with various metabolic syndromes to discontinue medications.
• A longer, healthier life. In addition to reducing diseases and discomforts related to obesity, weight loss surgery can extend your life. Large scientific studies have shown that bariatric surgery reduces the risks of death from any cause by over 40%.

Dr. Bhushan Chittawadgi is a consultant and an Advanced Laparoscopic, Gastro, and GI Cancer Surgeon practicing at Hosmat Hospital, Bangalore, Karnataka. He has more than 18 years of experience in the field of Laparoscopic GI & HPB Surgery making him one of the best laparoscopic surgeons in Bengaluru, Karnataka. He is specialized in Laparoscopic hernia surgery, Gall bladder stone, Obesity, liver and pancreas diseases, GI surgery, Piles, and Breast & Thyroid diseases.

If you are looking for the best Bariatric surgeon in Bangalore call us at +91 89407 70990 or book an online appointment here.