Morbid obesity: when is a health problem and how to treat

We understand that a patient morbidly obese when the weight reaches a level that puts their welfare at risk and even your health. Obviously there may be variations from person to person, so normally a calculation involving weight and height used, and we call body mass index (BMI = weight (kg) / height (in meters) square).

The normal value of BMI is between 18 and 25. There is considered morbidly obese when the value reaches 40. Obviously, there is a value such that having a BMI of 39.9 has no health problems and it reaches 40.1 and is doomed. The higher the BMI, the greater the health problems, but has seen that from 40 n problems increases significantly.

Related health problems suffer morbid obesity and importance of maintaining a healthy weight

Health problems afflicting the morbidly obese are many and varied. Some affect the quality of life and others even cause a shorter life expectancy. Obviously the deteriorating quality of life, which causes the difficulty of movements, both the volume itself and for the accumulation of joint injuries suffered. Not surprisingly, 30 kilos overweight is as always piggybacking 6 bottles of water.

But the worst consequence of obesity is increased mortality as a result of multiple causes alterations. Its effect is similar to the consumption of snuff. The more obese and more time spent in that situation more risk factors for premature death accumulate. In addition, obesity is associated with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia and increased risk and incidence of developing cancers.

As if this were not enough, obese also suffer more frequently: varicose veins, clots in the legs, sleep apnea, gout, kidney stones and gall bladder, sexual dysfunction and infertility, fatty liver ...It is therefore fundamental, recover as soon as possible about normal weight. And stay slim.

Most used for the treatment of morbid obesity techniques

For most patients lose enough weight and stay slim it is an almost impossible task. Therefore, it is considered indicated undergo obesity surgery patients who reach a body mass index greater than 40. Or those who, exceeding 35, have other risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, among others.

Surgical techniques are performed looking two mechanisms to reduce and maintain weight loss. Some limit the amount of food that fits in your stomach before you feel full (restrictive techniques) and other alter the gut so that all nutrient s that (malabsorptive techniques) are ingested is not absorbed.

Today considered the standard surgical technique in General Surgery is combining the above two options and that is called gastric bypass. With this procedure a sustained long - term loss of between 60 and 75% overweight (the difference between weight at time of surgery and which corresponds to a BMI of 25), with improvement of hypertension is achieved, diabetes, sleep apnea and hyperlipidemia.

Still, in recent years, increasingly a simpler technique is performed, and therefore, with fewer complications, but similar results in terms of weight reduction and complications associated. It is the sleeve gastrectomy, gastric sleeve or sleeve gastrectomy.

In any event, both techniques today are performed laparoscopically in most patients. This allows Aftercare very tolerable, with little pain and hospital discharge between 2 and 5 days after surgery. The first few weeks will be necessary to maintain a strict diet but, gradually, will be recovered a style of normal eating and healthy. Over time, and under the amount of weight loss, some interventions will be needed to remove the excess skin.