Obesity and gastric banding: after 18 years, 42% were removed
For more than ten years since obesity surgery has been acclaimed, a 90° turn has taken place:currently some surgeons remove more gastric bands than they place. What about?
Three techniques predominate
In France, only obese people with a BMI greater than 40 are concerned by these bariatric surgeries (also have your BMI tested at this address: http://www.calculersonimc.fr/faites-le-test.html). Since 2006, nearly 500,000 obese subjects have passed into the hands of specialists and in 2014 alone, nearly 50,000 interventions have been performed.
There are three techniques: gastric band placement, sleeve (gastrectomy) and gastric bypass. Each of these interventions corresponds to a specific typology of the patient. A digestive surgeon, Professor Chevalier of the Georges-Pompidou European Hospital explains that after 18 years of ringing, nearly half (42%) were removedfollowing complications such as intolerance or unwanted weight regain.
It is the same for the sleeve which, while it represents more than 60% of interventions, begins to be depreciated because of weight regain and digestive burns due to gastric reflux.
Thus, according to specialists who admit to “playing with fire”, it lacks the necessary distance to ensure reliability for this kind of operations yet not trivial. Scientific studies list a percentage of patients, who found themselvesfacing themselves, between 60% and 70%.
Beyond the sleeve, an American study even compares the three techniques and publishes significant results: after a period of four years, an average weight loss of 30% is ensured with the by-pass, 20% with the sleeve and 10% with the gastric band. So where is the problem?
Questionable post-surgical follow-up
Overweight subjects are strongly interested in bariatric surgery which promises remarkable weight loss aswell as a regression of certain pathologiessuch as diabetes. Parameters related to behaviour, socio-economic factors and lifestyle are taken into account, analyzed and integrated into the medical protocol before any decision is made. Specialists such as psychologists, doctors, surgeons and dieticians provide this care to best prepare the overweight subject for his future life. The High Authority for Health recommends a medical follow-up of about one year before the operation so that it presents itself as well as possible Professor Basdevant, nutritionist and diabetologist at the University of Paris 4.
This is a vision of things because in practice, it is not what is desired by the people concerned even if the weight loss occurs mainly in the first two years. Indeed, after this time, the operated person risks regaining weight: 1/3 of the weight lost is regained between two and eight years after the medical operation. There are also subjects who do not lose weight or who regain weight too quickly because of a lack of precise follow-up in substance Professor Czernichow, nutritionist.
So, even if it is true that bariatric surgery changes the lives of the operated, it is clear that a confusion has crept in between cosmetic surgery and health-related surgery. It must be understood that twenty years ago obesity was treated to avoid serious pathological risks but that gradually it was prescribed for purely physical considerations.
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.