What is weight loss surgery?

Weight loss surgery, or bariatric surgery, is the grouping of weight loss surgical procedures that help very obese people to lose a lot of weight. The weight loss is achieved by reducing the size of the stomach or taking out a portion of it.

Bariatric surgery is a very good option for treating severe cases of obesity because it limits the amount of food the stomach can hold, giving the patient a sensation of fullness after a small meal and also reduces the absorption of calories. People have this type of surgery if other methods of weight loss have not worked on them and/or if they have serious problems caused by obesity. The U.S. National Institutes of Health recommends bariatric surgery for obese people with a body mass index (BMI) of at least 40, and for people with BMI 35 and serious coexisting medical conditions such as diabetes.

There are various procedures, all of which have complications, that is why a Bariatric surgery ALWAYS must be done in a specialist centre, by a trained surgeon and with a long-term follow-up.

In future posts, different procedures will be described so you have a better understanding of every one of them.

WELCOME!

This is Dr. Fernando Miranda's Blog, a blog dedicated to Weight Loss Surgery and topics related to it.

If you had a weight loss surgery or you are thinking about getting one or you are just curious, in this blog we will give you a clearer view on Bariatrics.