All you need to know
Most frequent questions and answers
Weight loss surgery or Bariatric Surgery refers to Internal operations in body carried out on Stomach or Intestine aimed at reducing weight in severely obese individual. Today these Operations have expanded in to “Metabolic” Surgery or disease controlling surgery as well. This means that “Not so obese” patients with obesity associated illnesses like Diabetes are offered these operations with the aim of controlling their disease than reducing weight. Today these operations are done world wide; and in Sri Lanka as Laparoscopic (Key hole) Operations.
Bariatric Surgery is entirely different to External fat reduction operations (Plastic Surgeries) like abdomino-plasties and liposuctions; which deal with removal of excess fat deposited on body surfaces. Bariatric Surgery leads to reduction of external and internal fat rapidly and permanently enabling most patients to achieve their ideal body weight in 1-2 years after surgery.
From BMI 25-29 – Categorized as Over weight
From BMI 30-34 – Class 1 obesity
From BMI 35-39 – Class 2 Obesity
From BMI 40 and above Class 3 obesity or Morbid Obesity (In Asia this figure is set at BMI 37)
The present criteria for obesity Surgery in Asia are Body Mass Index (BMI) more than 37 or BMI over 32 with obesity associated illnesses like uncontrolled Diabetes, Hypertension, Fatty Liver disease, Obstructive sleep apnoea and Subfertility. In older age groups obesity associated severe mechanical joint pains in knees , ankles , hips and Back which severly restricts mobility; by itself is a valid reason to consider bariatric Surgery. In Sri Lanka we offer Bariatric Surgery to morbidly obese individuals from 14 years to 65 years of age.
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It is clinically and scientifically proven beyond any doubt that Bariatric / Obesity Surgery is the ONLY EFFECTIVE long term treatment option currently available to treat morbid obesity with over 90% of patients managing to reach and maintain their weight loss targets long term world wide.
These are the same results that we have observed in analyzing data of more than 100 Laparoscopic bariatric surgical procedures performed by my team in Sri Lanka.
Today with the advanced highly refined techniques the overall chance of developing a serious surgical complication is 2-3% and the chance of Death after surgery is 0.5%-2%(which mainly depends on the status of your health at time of surgery than the adverse event). It is emphasized that these figures are on par with ANY other non bariatric operation carried out in a normal sized individual involving intestine and stomach.
A detailed discussion on specific surgery related complications will be discussed with the individual patient and the spouse or Guardian after the exact type of operation is decided.
Today in Sri Lankan Guidelines (College of Endocrinology Guidelines) we are allowed to operate suitable patients from ages 14 up to 65 years.
Having other diseases is NOT a contraindication for surgery and in fact as mentioned above it is a very important indication to undergo bariatric surgery. This is because with the weight loss most of the associated illnesses either get cured or well controlled within 2 years post surgery.
Patients who have had major open abdominal operations may sometimes not be suitable for key hole surgery. However, our team has successfully performed keyhole bariatric surgical procedures on patients who have had several open abdominal operations before.
Revision Surgery (Re-doing bariatric surgery due to failure of initial operation) may be associated with higher surgical complications.