Overview | Goals & Risks | Candidates | How It Works |
Procedure | Preoperative Testing | Complications of Surgery | Postoperative Care | Long-term Care | Expected Outcome | Case Studies | Questions and Answers
Treatment Goals and Medical Risk Factors
The laparoscopic bariatric surgery treatment goals for morbid obesity are to achieve improvement in health by inducing significant weight loss that reduces life-threatening risk factors. Such a desirable outcome allows patients to experience improvement and satisfaction in nearly all activities of daily living.
Medical risk factors related to clinically morbid obesity:
- Obesity is especially linked to an increase in cardiovascular risk factors such as:
- diabetes
- hypertriglyceridemia
- hyperinsulinemia
- and, low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.
These risk factors increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.
- Joints and bones can undergo strain and become a chronic source of pain and may include:
- arthritis
- stress fractures
- Diseases or conditions related to the digestive tract often associated with obesity include:
- GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease)
- hernias
- gallstones
- fatty liver
- Respiratory problems increase with obesity such as:
- sleep apnea
- hypoventilation
- Hormonal imbalances may also occur, resulting in:
- infertility
- abnormal hair growth
- Pyschological problems are common, such as:
- depression
- anxiety
- substance abuse
- Increased mortality is a concern, since there is a 15-year reduction in life expectancy
- Obesity also increases complications associated with:
- pregnancy
- surgery
- and, it may increase the incidence of certain cancers (ie, uterus, colon, breast, prostate).
With sustained weight reduction, however, these risk factors can be reduced substantially, markedly improving quality of life and, at the same time, potentially prolonging life.
Generally, nonsurgical methods of weight reduction alone are not successful in achieving significant long-term weight loss for morbidly obese adults. Attempts at such dietary or behavior modification diets have been frustrating and even problematic for many obese patients, often causing depression, anxiety, irritability, weakness, and a preoccupation with food. Many traditional diets result in initial minimal weight loss that cannot be maintained, and consequently patients continue to gain weight once the weight loss attempt has failed.
Therefore, laparoscopic bariatric surgery presents an important treatment option and alternative for people who are morbidly obese.
