Fortis Hospitals, Bangalore has successfully treated cases of type 2 diabetes along with severe obesity. The healthcare major  highlighted treatment of type 2 diabetes with surgical procedure showcasing the case of a 65 year old lady who was suffering from uncontrolled type 2 diabetes and severe obesity.

Dr. Shabeer Ahmed, Consultant Surgical Gastroenterologist and Minimal Access Surgeon performed gastric bypass surgery for remission of diabetes. Not many are aware that gastric bypass surgery when performed by experts under the right conditions and guidance can result in the possible treatment of type 2 diabetes & severe obesity.

Type 2 diabetes is progressive in nature and normally coupled with obesity which can have life-threatening consequences, as was evident from the case in point. The patient, 65-year-old Vijayalakshi, was admitted to Fortis Hospitals, Bannerghatta, with a history of hypertension and diabetes mellitus for the past 10 years, and bronchial asthma for the last 15 years. Her blood sugar was always fluctuating in spite of being treated with oral hypoglycemics and insulin injections. Hypertension was poorly controlled even with regular anti-hypertensives and to further worsen the situation, Vijayalakshmi was morbidly obese with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 41.2 – normal adult human body’s BMI is between 20 and 25.

“The continuing mortality in persons with diabetes is a sign that the answer to best management for type 2 diabetes for maximizing metabolic control is still elusive. Given this scenario, the option of stomach intervention needs to be considered in appropriately selected individuals. Laparoscopic gastric bypass procedure was considered as the treatment of choice for Vijayalakshmi as she had obesity with diabetes mellitus,” he said.

The pre- operative work up for the surgery was done by Prof. Dr. C V Harinarayan, Consultant Endocrinologist, Fortis Hospitals. She was then admitted and laparoscopic bypass procedure with Roux en Y Anastomosis was performed on her under general anaesthesia.
After the surgery, Vijayalakshmi’s blood sugar started reaching near normal range and was steady on the 3rd post-operative day. Insulin injections were slowly tapered and finally weaned off on the 5th post-operative day. Three months after the surgery, and she  lost 25 kgs.

In its second case,  Reshmi Begum, a 43-year-old lady from Bangalore was suffering from diabetic mellitus from the past 15 years. She approached Fortis Hospitals in April 2011 for her diabetes along with hypertension and ischemic heart disease for which she had undergone CABG in 2010. During her evaluation process it was found that she had uncontrolled blood sugar levels varying between 25- 493 for which she was taking 70 units of insulin shots daily.  An overweight with a BMI of 45 (height 155 cms/ weight 110 kg) she was very much concerned about her health. The surgical team led by Dr. Ahmed performed a  Laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery for both her diabetes and obesity.