Bariatric Surgery

“Those who think they have no time for a healthy diet will sooner or later have to find time for illness.”

Edward Stanley

BARIATRIC SURGERY is any surgical intervention employed to treat obesity by seeking the reduction of weight and body mass. The objective of these interventions is to reduce the energy supply and body fat formation, considering one of two principles:

• reducing ingested foods under metabolic control without altering appetite,
• modifying the absorption of food so that the intake of calories is reduced without affecting body metabolism.

The objective of these interventions is to prevent death and improve the quality of life through a healthy weight.

Different national and international organizations have coincided that obesity is a global pandemic with the most significant health risks. These risks are based on three factors: magnitude, speed of which it grows and propagates, and the highly harmful effect it has on the population.

In Mexico, according to the National Health and Nutrition Poll done in 2016, 73% of adults are overweight or obese; this means 7 of 10 adults. It is 40% (4 of 10) for the young population, and for children, it is 33% (1 of 3).

There is a difference between being overweight and being obese. Obesity is when the extra weight surpasses the normal bodily limits. We know this by the BMI or body mass index. To determine the BMI, you divide your weight in kilos between your height squared (meters).

You can calculate your BMI in the following calculator:

How to read your results:

• BMI under 18.5. Underweight.
• BMI between 18.5 y 24.9. Normal Weight
• BMI between 25-30. Overweight
• BMI between 30.1-35. Moderate Obesity
• BMI between 35.1-40. High Obesity
• BMI over 40.1. Morbid Obesity

There are three types of bariatric surgeries:

Restrictive techniques:

They are focused on decreasing the volume of the stomach to promote weight loss and limit food intake. The remainder of the digestive tract remains intact. These techniques include the gastric band, gastric sleeve, and intragastric balloon.

Malabsorptive Techniques: 

They change the shape in which the digestive tract functions, by reducing the size of the small intestine and hurrying the transit of food. Within this technique, you find the jejunoileal bypass.

Mixed Techniques: 

A combination of the before mentioned methods. Within these techniques, we find the Gastric Bypass.

To be a candidate for bariatric surgery, you need to have specific requirements:

• Be of age
• Failure to lose weight even after many tries with traditional methods (diet and exercise).
• Have a BMI over 40 kg/ m², or between 35 and 40 kg/m² but with significant comorbidity (associated risks) such as type II diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, amongst others.
• Psychological and psychiatric evaluation.
• Absence of alcoholism or drug addiction.
• Commitment to post-op follow-up.

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