Does weight loss surgery really work?

According to Dr. BS Do Minh Hung – Director of Center for Endoscopy and Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Surgery, Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, surgical methods of weight loss treatment for patients with metabolic obesity were evaluated. The price is with a high level of safety with a rate of up to 99.9%.

There are many ways to lose weight, Dr. Hung said, often starting with changing your diet and doing exercises. These methods can partially improve weight, but the treatment of obesity and comorbidities only through dietary changes has not really been highly effective.

“Recognized weight loss drugs often have limited effects, effective for overweight and obese subjects when combined with dietary changes and exercise. Besides, some weight loss drugs also have can cause serious side effects if used arbitrarily or used for a long time without the close supervision of a doctor, “doctor Hung said.

Treatment of obesity by endoscopic weight loss balloon method can reduce about 30%, depending on the initial weight and lifestyle changes of the patient. When applying this method, the doctor will insert one to three inflated silicone balls into the stomach, helping to reduce the area of ​​​​food storage, making the patient feel full early when eating. It should be noted, the weight loss balloon placement only lasts for 6 months because the balloon cannot be left longer in the stomach due to complications and is removed endoscopically.

For gastric banding, your doctor places a silicone ring around the upper part of your stomach. The ring is tightened to varying degrees, leaving a small opening connecting the upper pouch with the larger lower part of the stomach, creating a small upper stomach pouch that fills food faster and the patient feels sick. satiety sooner. Dr. Hung said that after surgery, patients can lose 40-50% of their excess body weight, depending on the location of each person. The effect is proven to last for two years.

The method of losing weight by reducing the size of the stomach by, is called a gastric bypass. This method eliminates about 80% of the stomach area, creating a feeling of fullness when eating and the patient also feels less hungry because of hormonal changes related to the gastric tube. According to the American Society of Metabolic Surgery and Weight Loss Surgery, this method can help obese patients lose 50-70% of their excess body weight within 18 to 24 months after surgery.

Gastric bypass surgery, which is a method of creating a small portion of the stomach and diverting intestinal circulation directly from the reconstructed stomach and ileum, also results in weight loss. Dr. Hung said that obese patients can lose an average of 60-80% of their excess body weight and maintain it for about 2 years. At the same time, weight-related health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, arthritis, sleep apnea and heartburn will also improve quickly.

Another effective method of weight loss surgery, called biliary-pancreatic diversion, is effective Lose weight faster and more. On average, patients lose 60% of their excess body weight in about 2 years. This is surgery to create a stomach tube, re-circulate bowel circulation and remove the gallbladder, making patients feel less hungry, full sooner, and absorb fewer calories and minerals. Dr. Hung cited some of the latest clinical trials showing that this method helps to lose weight sustainably about 70% of the body’s excess weight with an effect lasting more than 10 years.

Dr. Hung recommends that surgical weight loss methods help metabolically obese patients lose a significant amount of weight, but this is considered a last resort, when exercise efforts and diet programs failure and the patient has many dangerous complications caused by being overweight. These methods also have certain limitations and the patient should be carefully consulted by the doctor before making a decision to perform surgery.

Hoang My