Indulging in junk food frequently and adopting a couch potato lifestyle with little exercise, cause unnecessary weight gain in most people; whilst in rarer instances, certain metabolic or endocrine complications are identified as the main cause for obesity. When the combined effects of a low calorie diet, increased exercise, medication, and behavioral modification show little benefit in an individuals weight loss regime, some opt to undergo laparoscopic obesity surgery.
When performing laparoscopic obesity surgery, physicians use small incisions (ranging from 1/4 to 1/2 inch) to enter the abdomen via cannulas; and through one such incision the laparoscope which is connected to a tiny video camera is inserted into the abdomen, enabling the surgeon to obtain a picture of the stomach and its constituent organs, which is then projected onto a TV screen for larger viewing. After which, weight loss can be surgically promoted through techniques such as gastric banding or laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery.
One of main advantages of laparoscopic obesity surgery is that it is a minimally invasive surgical procedure, which results in reduced post-operative pain and a shorter hospital stay, which then enables the patient to resume his/her normal life-style more quickly.
Laparoscopic obesity surgery tends to be of special use to those who have exhausted non-surgical weight loss options, who are more than 50kg above their ideal calibrated weight and who have no known metabolic or hormonal complications that cause obesity. Over-weight patients suffering from heart disease, hypertension or breathing difficulties would find laparoscopic obesity surgery to be of special use to them, as it would improve their quality of life and minimize any life-threatening health complications directly attributed to their obesity.
Before embarking on laparoscopic obesity surgery, it is imperative that the advice of a qualified physician is sought, a nutritional evaluation done and blood tests carried out, so as to ascertain its viability. Consultations with other doctors who specialize in handling the patients other illnesses if any, is also strongly recommended, so that an overall, balanced picture of the patients case history can be obtained prior to embarking on surgery.
Despite its promised benefits, laparoscopic obesity surgery is not without its risks and complications. Wound infections, gastric dumping syndrome and leaks at the surgical site are the most common side effects seen in those who opt for laparoscopic obesity surgery. Warning indications that occur within a few days of the operation such as persistent vomiting, heartburn, bleeding, persistent fever, or abdominal swelling should not be ignored, as it could be a sign of post-operative complications arising from the laparoscopic obesity surgery performed; and so in such an instance, it is always prudent to channel a physician as soon as possible.
Finally, after embarking on laparoscopic obesity surgery, patients should (as with all weight-loss regimes) concentrate not just on the reduction of weight, but on the maintenance of an optimal body mass index (BMI), if possible.
