Cirugía contra la obesidad por laparoscopia

In many cases of obesity, medical treatment is not enough to reverse the problem and can have serious consequences for the patient's health such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Specialists in General Surgery recommend laparoscopic technique for faster postoperative recovery.

Types of Surgery for Obesity

Surgical techniques are indicated especially for cases of severe or morbid obesity. The most recommended types of surgery are laparoscopy , which can be divided into three major fields:

• Restrictive surgery : this technique consists of the known reduction of stomach. By reducing the capacity of the stomach the patient feels full eating small amounts.
• Malabsorptive surgery : Instead, this procedure is based on influencing the digestion and absorption of food. This means that the food is diverted in a way that the amount ingested is the same, but its absorption of fat or glucose is lower.
• Mixed surgery : the combination of the two previous ones, in which gastric capacity is reduced and food malabsorption also occurs.

The choice of technique varies according to the characteristics of each patient, according to factors such as the type of obesity, age and basic pathologies of the individual.

Obesity Diet and Surgery

Before the surgery is not usually prescribed a diet to the patient, although it is recommended to lose some weight, since that facilitates the surgery.

After the operation for obesity, a multidisciplinary team of surgeons, endocrinologists and dietitians advises the patient and elaborates a progressive diet adapted to the recovery according to each case and each surgical technique.

Postoperative surgery laparoscopy

The approximate hospital admission time for laparoscopic surgery is 48 hours on average. Once the patient is discharged, the patient should follow dietary guidelines and lead a normal life, except for important physical exertions during the first month.

Subsequently, a multidisciplinary team of surgeons, endocrinologists and nutritionists will follow up for two years.

Results after surgery for obesity

The objective in the treatment of obesity is to reduce excess body mass , that is, the weight that exceeds the ideal index, between 60 and 70%, a scale accepted as a satisfactory result for this type of treatment. This objective is consolidated over two years.

In cases of metabolic surgery, indicated for type II diabetic patients with associated obesity , they respond in 80% that after the operation will no longer need insulin or significantly reduce the doses, with a correct control of the glycemia. In other pathologies associated with obesity, such as arterial hypertension, between 50 and 70% of patients respond favorably to treatment.