As you may or may not know, mortality in bariatric surgery occurs at a very acceptable 0.2-0.3% rate. Compare this to gall bladder or appendix surgery (0.3 to 0.4%). This means that in this class of obese people, if we operate on a thousand, two will die. If you take these same thousand people and [...]
Almost all people (with the exception of some bariatric surgeons) believe that the sleeve gastrectomy is a safer operation than the gastric bypass because of the ease and simplicity of the procedure, as also the possibility of leaks in the latter case (multiple staple lines). At the root of the confidence of many surgeons is [...]
After the initial (and highly popular, if I may say so) posts on the subject (see Parts One and Two), we will now talk about what we have gained in terms of experience and insight about this subject. I had jokingly noted how BMI has not had a leak in many years. This year (obviously our busiest [...]
In the last two decades or so, people have recognised (mistakenly, as you will see) that surgery for weight loss means liposuction. It has become a tiresome but necessary ritual for us to explain to our patients that what we do is bariatric surgery, not liposuction. Liposuction is local removal of subcutaneous fat from a [...]
When we started out on doing the sleeve gastrectomy a few years back, it was typically over a 60Fr bougie. The important thing, we learnt, was not to leave any part of the fundus of the stomach behind. This was the important technical thing to check. Our old patients have all done well. Since the [...]
Alcohol has been in the center of research in the past few decades for a lot of reasons. While nobody with a sane mind questions the vices of smoking, sensible drinkers have hotly contested the alcohol debate. We know that alcohol is very high in calories, and it also can affect the way the body [...]
I, like many others, have long believed that science will, one day, announce the discovery of a pill that will end obesity. One pill, and pow! no more cravings, and fat will melt off your muscles like wax from a lit candle. (pic: bmj.com) Many companies have clearly shared that fantasy or vision. Billions of [...]
In the last decade there has been a spurt in the number of cases of bariatric surgery. While a lot is said about the huge benefits of such procedures, the critics have also been pointing out the disadvantages of the procedure. One such area of concern has been the depression and even suicidal tendencies seen [...]
Many bariatric surgeons are excited about the procedure Gastric Plication (LGP) as a bariatric procedure. It promises to be a simple method (remember, “Less Is More!”) that gives weight loss results as good as sleeve gastrectomy without even the risks of that procedure (staple line leaks (read part one and part two here) or bleeding). [...]
Weight loss plateaus may occur in certain patients who have undergone a sleeve gastrectomy as a primary bariatric procedure. What are the causes? What is the next step? What is the prognosis for these patients? This article discusses these issues. Please buckle your seat belts! First things first, who doesn’t know what a sleeve (as [...]