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Gastric Bypass Surgery Health Benefits of Gastric Bypass Surgery
Weight loss achieved with Roux-en-Y gastric bypass averages 80% of
excess body weight and can be maintained for years following surgery.
We instruct patients in a very simple program which is much easier
to follow than other weight loss plans since one is not constantly
starving on a diet. More than 96% of health problems related to morbid
obesity are completely resolved and reversed, usually within days
to months, after gastric bypass surgery.
Normalized Blood Pressure
At least 70% of gastric bypass patients taking medication to control
high blood pressure are able to stop all medications and have a normal
blood pressure within 2-3 months of obesity surgery. In cases when
medications are still required, their dosage can be lowered, triggering
a reduction of the drugs’ annoying side-effects.
Normalized Blood Cholesterol
More than 80% of gastric bypass patients will develop normal cholesterol
levels in 2 to 3 months after surgery.
Lowered Risk of Heart Disease
Although we can't say definitively that heart disease is reduced,
the improvement in problems such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol,
and diabetes certainly suggests that improvement in risk is very likely.
In one recent study, the risk of death from cardiovascular disease
was profoundly reduced in surgical weight loss patients with diabetes
who are particularly susceptible to this problem. It may be many years
before further proof exists, since there is no easy and safe test
for heart disease.
Resolution of Type II Diabetes
More than 90% of Type II diabetics, usually within a few days of gastric
bypass surgery, have normal blood sugar levels, normal Hemoglobin
A1C values, and freedom from all their medications, including insulin
injections. Based on numerous studies of diabetes and its complications,
it is likely the problems associated with diabetes will be arrested
in their progression when blood sugar is maintained at normal values.
There is no medical treatment for diabetes that achieves as complete
and profound an effect as gastric bypass surgery - which has led some
physicians to suggest that surgical weight loss may be the best treatment
for diabetes in obese patients. Abnormal Glucose Tolerance, or “Borderline
Diabetes,” is even more reliably reversed by gastric bypass
surgery. Since this condition becomes diabetes in many cases, the
operation can frequently prevent diabetes, as well.
Relief from Asthma
Most asthmatics find they have fewer and less severe attacks, or sometimes
none at all, after undergoing gastric bypass. When asthma is associated
with gastroesophageal reflux disease, it is particularly benefited
by obesity surgery.
Improvement in Respiratory Insufficiency
Improvement of exercise tolerance and breathing ability usually occurs
within the first few months after gastric bypass surgery. Often patients
who were barely able to walk prior to their surgery find they are
able to participate in family activities and even sports.
Relief from Sleep Apnea Syndrome
Dramatic relief of sleep apnea occurs as our gastric bypass patients
lose weight. Many report their symptoms completely gone, including
snoring, within a year of obesity surgery – and their spouses
agree.
Resolution of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
For nearly all surgical weight loss patients, relief of all symptoms
of reflux usually occurs within a few days of their gastric bypass.
A new study is underway to determine if the changes in the esophageal
lining membrane, called Barrett's esophagus, may be reversed by obesity
surgery as well – thereby reducing the risk of esophageal cancer.
Resolution of Gallbladder Disease
When gallbladder disease is present at the time of the gastric bypass,
it is resolved by removing the gallbladder during the operation. If
the gallbladder is not removed there is some increased risk for developing
gallstones, and occasionally removal of the gallbladder may be necessary
at a later time.
Resolution of Stress Urinary Incontinence
This condition responds dramatically to surgical weight loss, usually
coming completely under control. A gastric bypass patient still troubled
by incontinence can choose to have specific corrective surgery later,
with a much greater chance for successful outcome with a reduced body
weight.
Relief from Low Back Pain, Degenerative Disk Disease, and Degenerative
Joint Disease
Surgical weight loss patients usually experience considerable relief
of pain and disability from degenerative arthritis and disk disease
and from pain in the weight-bearing joints. This tends to occur with
the first 25 -30 pounds lost, usually within about a month after gastric
bypass surgery. If there is nerve irritation or structural damage
already present, it may not be reversed by weight loss.
The Scientific Proof
Measurement of the benefits and outcomes of modern obesity surgery
is one of the most important areas of surgical research in obesity.
There are studies in progress to further measure the improvement in
health and lifestyle that surgical weight loss can accomplish.
Study of 300 Laparoscopic Gastric Bypasses:
Wittgrove and Clark have maintained follow-up with more than 90%
of the first 300 patients to undergo laparoscopic
gastric bypass, Roux-en-Y. The chart below shows average weight
loss, as a percentage of excess body weight, for 300 patients between
3 and 48 months following gastric bypass surgery.
They have studied and recently reported the relief of the symptoms
of co-morbidities in patients who underwent Laparoscopic Gastric
Bypass. For the first 300 patients who underwent that operation,
these are the numbers:
| Conditions |
Preop |
Postop |
 |
| GastroEsophageal Reflux Disease |
180 |
3 |
| Hypercholesterolemia |
176 |
6 |
| Hypertriglyceridemia |
106 |
1 |
| Diabetes Mellitus (Type II) |
59 |
1 |
| Glucose Intolerance |
30 |
0 |
| Stress Incontinence |
134 |
4 |
| Obstructive Sleep Apnea |
150 |
2 |
| Hypertension |
79 |
6 |
| Arthritis (Symptomatic) |
249 |
20 |
| TOTAL |
1163 |
43 |
|
|
|
