Assessing Benefits and Risks
of Bariatric Surgery
Balancing Obesity Risks Against Surgery
Risks
Bariatric operations are serious gastrointestinal procedures which involve
all the typical health dangers and complications resulting from the trauma
associated with serious medical surgery. However, the risks
of weight loss surgery like gastric bypass or lap band, must be balanced
against the well-documented health dangers of morbid (or malignant) obesity.
This type of severe clinical obesity is itself a serious medical condition
which, if left untreated, can prove fatal. Also, when assessing the risks
and benefits of bariatric gastrointestinal surgery, it should be remembered
that this surgery is ONLY considered for seriously obese patients who
are UNABLE to lose weight using conventional treatments involving diet,
exercise and behavioral counseling.
Levels of Obesity
According to current statistics, 61.3 million American adults (30.5 percent)
are obese. As a result, approximately 300,000 Americans are predicted
to die prematurely in 2004 from obesity-related diseases. This makes the
condition nearly as dangerous as smoking cigarettes. Even worse, approximately
15 percent of children (ages 6–11) and 15 percent of teenagers were
overweight in 2000 with an additional 15 percent at risk for overweight.
Life-Threatening Health Dangers of Obesity
Rates of Premature Death
Premature mortality rates for men who are 50 percent above average weight,
are about twice the normal. Mortality was increased five fold for obese
diabetics and four fold for obese patients with digestive tract disease.
Premature mortality rates for women, are twice the average, while in obese
women with diabetes the mortality risk is eight fold.
Cancer Mortality Rates for Morbidly
Obese Patients
Cancer mortality rates are increased in morbidly obese males; e.g. colorectum
(1.7 times), and prostate (1.3 times). Cancer mortality rates are increased
in morbidly obese females; e.g. endometrium (5.4 times), gallbladder (3.6
times), uterine cervix (2.4 times), ovary (1.6 times), breast (1.5 times).
Additional Health Dangers of Being Morbidly
Obese
- Obesity is linked to diabetes. 80 percent
of patients with type 2 diabetes are obese.
- Obesity increases risk of gallbladder
disease and gallstones.
- Obesity is a major risk factor for heart
disease. Almost 70 percent of diagnosed heart disease is obesity-related.
- Being obese doubles the risk of elevated
blood pressure (hypertension).
- Obese patients are vulnerable to sleep
apnea, breathing problems, musculoskeletal complaints and arthritis.
- Obesity is one of the cluster of symptoms
comprising insulin resistance syndrome (metabolic syndrome X).
Health Risks of Weight Loss Surgery
Bariatric gastric operations on severely
obese patients cause death in approximately 1 percent of cases, and (it
is believed) health complications in 10-30 percent of cases, although
this may include patient-induced problems resulting from non-compliance
with post-operative dietary guidelines.
Health Benefits of Weight Loss Surgery
- Bariatric surgery improves longevity
and reduces rates of premature death.
- Bariatric surgery reduce high blood
pressure (hypertension) in about 50 percent of patients. Cholesterol
levels and other heart risk factors also typically improve.
- It reduces risk of diabetes and insulin
resistance.
- It reduces sleep apnea in about 75 percent
of patients.
- It reduces shortness of breath (hypoventilation)
in 75-80 percent of patients after gastric surgery.
- It reduces the number and severity of
asthma attacks.
- It reduces back pain and arthritis along
with heartburn, urinary incontinence, and venous problems of the leg.
Bariatric Surgery Alters Eating and Diet
Habits For Life
Although gastrointestinal surgery helps
obese patients to lose weight and reduce the risk of many diseases and
weight-related risk factors, it does so at a price. Patients typically
need to change their eating habits and remain on a special gastric-surgery
diet for the remainder of their lives. This mandatory change in eating
habits proves too difficult for many patients.
Note: Bariatric weight loss surgery, whether
bypass or stomach banding, to reduce severe clinical obesity is a serious
undertaking requiring detailed consultation with your doctor and bariatric
surgeon.
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