Safety of Cosmetic Surgery
Cosmetic Surgery Safety
It's true that more Americans are overweight than ever before. According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than one third of all adults in the United States are considered obese. Many people are now of the mindset that weight loss surgery has almost become a means of weight maintenance, with more people opting for weight loss surgery rather than even attempting diet and exercise to lose weight. The truth is, though, that the number of weight loss surgeries has decreased in the past half decade. In fact, the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery reports that the number of weight loss surgeries peaked at 200,000 per year in the years 2008 and 2009, but then began declining the following year. Now the number has settled in at around 150,000 to 160,000 per year, with only about 1 percent of the U.S. population actually eligible for weight loss surgery. Weight loss surgery, in virtually all cases, is still being performed on patients whose weight has gotten out of control and whose health problems associated with their weight typically are unmanageable. Often for these patients the benefits outweigh the risks. Of course, there still are risks involved with weight loss surgeries. Here are some of the risks and benefits that accompany the most common weight loss surgeries.
Lap Band
Lap band surgery has become one of the most popular of its kind because it is reported to have the lowest number of serious complications. In the lap band surgery, a tube, or band, is placed around the patient's stomach and from there it is inflated in order to cut the size of the stomach's capacity. This is done to get the stomach to desired level. This type of surgical procedure is performed by laparoscopy, which means that the surgeon makes three very small incisions in order to complete the surgery using microscopic instruments that enable viewing the patient's internal organs. Lap band surgeries also typically have less complications because the band can be removed or adjusted easily. Side effects from lap band surgery can include mild symptoms such as nausea, heartburn, and indigestion.
Gastric Bypass
Gastric bypass is the term most people have for years associated with weight loss surgery. In gastric bypass, the stomach is stapled in order to get it to a smaller size. It is then attached to the mid portion of the small intestines. This process bypasses the large intestine where a good portion of digested food would normally be absorbed by the body. Side effects can include nausea, diarrhea, weakness, and fainting. Gastric bypass can carry with it complications that can sometimes be severe, including lack of vital nutrients being absorbed in the system, pulmonary embolism, and infections. Because fatalities have been reported with this type of surgery, it is necessary for a physician to continuously monitor patients for the rest of their lives.
Vertical Banded Gastroplasty
In vertical banded gastroplasty, as in gastric bypass, the stomach is also made smaller. Two staples are inserted into the patient's stomach vertically by the surgeon. Because vertical banded gastroplasty often has serious side effects and severe complications, this weight loss surgery is not as common as it once was and has been replaced in many cases with gastric bypass and the lap band procedure. A side effect of vertical banded gastroplasty can include infections that sometimes are fatal.
To date, millions of patients have benefited from weight loss surgery. In most cases, these are patients whose issues with their weight have begun causing them severe health problems. Patients receiving weight loss surgery often are in a position where they must undergo dramatic weight loss or suffer major complications due to their extra weight. For many people, weight loss surgery is a last resort that provides lifesaving weight reduction and relief from major health conditions. Weight loss surgery typically is only recommended for patients who are more than 100 pounds overweight, especially if repeated weight loss attempts have failed. Additionally, candidates for weight loss surgery must also have related medical complications due to morbid obesity. If you are experiencing health problems due to excess weight, contact a qualified physician to schedule a consultation to find out if weight loss surgery can benefit you.
Lap Band
Lap band surgery has become one of the most popular of its kind because it is reported to have the lowest number of serious complications. In the lap band surgery, a tube, or band, is placed around the patient's stomach and from there it is inflated in order to cut the size of the stomach's capacity. This is done to get the stomach to desired level. This type of surgical procedure is performed by laparoscopy, which means that the surgeon makes three very small incisions in order to complete the surgery using microscopic instruments that enable viewing the patient's internal organs. Lap band surgeries also typically have less complications because the band can be removed or adjusted easily. Side effects from lap band surgery can include mild symptoms such as nausea, heartburn, and indigestion.
Gastric Bypass
Gastric bypass is the term most people have for years associated with weight loss surgery. In gastric bypass, the stomach is stapled in order to get it to a smaller size. It is then attached to the mid portion of the small intestines. This process bypasses the large intestine where a good portion of digested food would normally be absorbed by the body. Side effects can include nausea, diarrhea, weakness, and fainting. Gastric bypass can carry with it complications that can sometimes be severe, including lack of vital nutrients being absorbed in the system, pulmonary embolism, and infections. Because fatalities have been reported with this type of surgery, it is necessary for a physician to continuously monitor patients for the rest of their lives.
Vertical Banded Gastroplasty
In vertical banded gastroplasty, as in gastric bypass, the stomach is also made smaller. Two staples are inserted into the patient's stomach vertically by the surgeon. Because vertical banded gastroplasty often has serious side effects and severe complications, this weight loss surgery is not as common as it once was and has been replaced in many cases with gastric bypass and the lap band procedure. A side effect of vertical banded gastroplasty can include infections that sometimes are fatal.
To date, millions of patients have benefited from weight loss surgery. In most cases, these are patients whose issues with their weight have begun causing them severe health problems. Patients receiving weight loss surgery often are in a position where they must undergo dramatic weight loss or suffer major complications due to their extra weight. For many people, weight loss surgery is a last resort that provides lifesaving weight reduction and relief from major health conditions. Weight loss surgery typically is only recommended for patients who are more than 100 pounds overweight, especially if repeated weight loss attempts have failed. Additionally, candidates for weight loss surgery must also have related medical complications due to morbid obesity. If you are experiencing health problems due to excess weight, contact a qualified physician to schedule a consultation to find out if weight loss surgery can benefit you.