Department of Surgical Gastroenterology at Manipal Hospital, Bangalore inaugurated Bariatric Surgery Services, a comprehensive programme for bariatric surgery. This distinctive programme offers pre-operative education, state of the art surgical facility and post operative support.
The benefits of bariatric surgery have been carefully studied and it is recommended for patients with a body mass index of 37.5 Kg/m2 or those with a BMI above 32.5 Kg/m2 with co-morbidities. Bariatric surgery not only causes a significant and sustained weight loss but a significant improvement of co-morbidities. Almost 70 per cent of patients with morbidity hypertension and Type 2 diabetes can be expected to get off medications in about three months time.
The surgical Gastroenterology Department is headed by Dr Sadiq Sikora. The multidisciplinary team at Manipal includes physicians, nurses, dieticians, psychotherapists and exercise physiologists. Each of them are dedicated to help patients to reduce their medical risk factors through comprehensive weight management approach.
Dr S C Nagendra Swamy, COO, Bangalore Region, director Shared Strategic Services noted, "Obesity has become a growing health hazard world wide. In India an estimated 5 to 10 per cent is obese and 2 per cent are morbidly obese. Among the health problems associated with morbid obesity are hypertension, Type 2 diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, osteoarthritis, respiratory disease, sleep disorders and depression. Morbid obesity and associated co-morbidities result in 25 per cent mortality over 10 years."
The Bariatric Surgery Services includes comprehensive evaluation by a Bariatric surgeon, sleep apnea evaluation, pulmonary evaluation, gastroenterology evaluation, cardiology evaluation, nutritional evaluation, full psychological evaluation, pre-surgical testing and support group participation. The specially designed Bariatric suite, operation tables that can take up to 400 kg body weight and specially long laparoscopes and bariatric operative instruments are among the amenities offered.
Dr Srikanth, Consultant Gastroenterologist, Manipal Hospital said, "A healthy diet and adequate exercise remain the cornerstones of optimal weight management. However, these measures fail in the vast majority of patients with morbid obesity. Bariatric surgery is the only proven method of long term sustained weight loss."