Weight Loss Surgery
At Streamline Surgical we understand that for many people weight loss surgery is a last resort, having exhausted all other weight loss methods. When diets have failed, and medications have shown no lasting improvement, bariatric surgery seems to offer a solution to those anxiously trying to lose weight. Here we try to cover some common questions that we have been asked over the years relating to the criteria required to be considered for surgery, the benefits of bariatric surgery and what risks are associated with it.
In terms of the required criteria for eligibility for weight loss surgery, here at Streamline Surgical we believe that every patient is unique and so we have no hard and fast criteria that we use for everyone. In general terms, if a patient has no illnesses related to their obesity they would probably need to have a BMI of around 40kg/m2 to be recommended for treatment. For patients with obesity related illnesses this level would drop to nearer 35kg/m2. For NHS patients the level at which you well get funding is set by your Primary Care Trust, and so may differ from these levels.
The benefits of weight loss surgery include not only improved physical health but also emotional wellbeing. Research by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery has shown that bariatric surgery can lead to the loss of as much as 75% of excess weight. Having said that, even a 5-10% reduction in weight can improve the body’s metabolic performance, resulting in the risk of developing diabetes dropping by as much as 50%, a 40% decline in obesity related cancers and a 20% fall in the risk of mortality. Less tangible benefits include better sleep, a reduction of back and joint pain and boosts to self-esteem. At Streamline Surgical we have seen that over 70% of our patients with diabetes see their diabetes disappear, blood pressure levels fall, and around 80% of patients with high lipidemia and sleep apnea see vast improvement post-surgery.
Another question we often get asked relates to the risks associated with weight loss surgery. Our main job as surgeons is to preserve health and to improve the quality of life of our patients, but we always strive to reduce the risks involved with surgery. There is a level of risk involved with every operation of any type, but we see the key as being the balance between the risk of performing the surgery versus the other health risks associated with obesity. Surgery is often much less of a risk than not losing weight.
Streamline Surgical offers six different types of weight loss surgery: Gastric Bypass, Gastric Band, Gastric Balloon, Sleeve Gastrectomy, Duodenal Switch and Revision Surgery. These different types of surgery all carry their own benefits and their own risks and side effects, and it is important that patients get the best procedure for them taking into account, their weight, health and psychological state. Our team of surgeons, physicians, dietitians and psychotherapists all work together to ensure that each patient gets the best weight loss procedure for their needs.
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