You Ask , They Answer
Q
: What ’ s bariatric or weight-loss surgery and who ’ s a good candidate for it ?
A
: People often misunderstand bariatric surgery , which is not a weight-loss surgery but an ultimate solution for weight-associated medical problems . Patients often undergo the procedure because their obesity has led to a series of medical problems , and the resulting weight loss is �ust a bonus . Most patients want to lose weight , but what many of them don ’ t realise is that bariatric surgery is an effective treatment for their conditions . Indeed , obesity is associated with dozens of medical problems , like high blood pressure , diabetes , sleep apnoea , and �oint problems .
Good candidates are selected based on their body mass index — which uses weight and height to measure if your weight is in a healthy range — and whether they have any diseases or physical disabilities , as well as their fat distribution . There are two obesity types , global obesity and central obesity . In the former category , people are big from top to bottom , meaning that the distribution of the fat pressure in the body is equal as chest , arms , legs , and the rest of the body are all big , while in the latter case , people are only big in the belly , which increases the risk of medical problems .
Q
: What are the key medical benefits for patients ?
A
: The procedure can cure more than 94 percent of patients with sleep apnoea disease and more than 97 percent of people with asthma , while the cure rate for type 2 diabetes is higher than 84 percent , meaning that some people can be taken off insulin . Many patients can also see improvements in their psychological problems .
�ost people can also achieve significant weight-loss reduction . Those who have excellent outcomes are the people who follow a healthy lifestyle . If you are not committed to having a healthy lifestyle , doing exercise and eating good foods , then there ’ s no point in undergoing bariatric surgery because the surgery is about improving your health , not losing weight
Q
: What are the risks of bariatric surgery ?
A
: In the hands of a skillful surgeon , or someone who does more than 200 cases per year , bariatric surgery is even safer than doing an operation to remove the appendix . One reason is that patients must be very well prepared before undergoing bariatric surgery and cannot have any infection or other major conditions like heart and lung problems . For instance , bleeding risk is less than one percent , and , if it occurs during the procedure , can be easily controlled .
Q
: What ’ s the recovery like ?
A
: The operation lasts about one hour . Patients can start using the toilet two to three hours after surgery and most of them can go home the day after . In my centre , we keep people weighing 180 to 200 kilos under observation for an extra day to make sure they can take care of themselves when they are back home . People who have an office job can go back to work within two to three days , while those who do physical work , like construction , are advised to take seven to ten days of rest .
The first follow-up will be after two to three weeks , then we will see them every three months for the first year� in the second year , we ’ ll see them every six months . We teach patients how to exercise and how to have a healthy diet while still en�oying their favourite foods . That ’ s why , for surgeons , bariatric surgery is not only about doing the operation but also mostly being a dietitian , a personal trainer , and the go-to person for patients .
Dr Mustafa Mohamed Taher Al-Khafaji
Dr Mustafa Mohamed Taher Al-Khafaji is a surgeon specialised in general , upper gastrointestinal , and bariatric surgery at the Cengild G . I . Medical Centre in Kuala Lumpur .
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