Bariatric surgery is one of the most effective methods of long term weight loss for people with morbid (extreme) obesity. It not only helps in shedding the extra pounds but also helps in resolution of obesity related diseases like diabetes mellitus, hypertension, sleep apnea, joint pains, menstrual disturbances, etc. It is also recommended for the treatment of PCOD and infertility linked to obesity. Bariatric surgery can increase the longevity of the person and significantly improves the quality of life.
Weight loss surgery was started in the United States of America way back in the 1930s. At that time, the procedure advocated was jejuno ileal bypass which had a very high complication rate and mortality and thus didn’t gain popularity. For almost the next 50 years, there was no development in this field and this particular procedure was shunned by both patients and surgeons.
However in the 1980s, with the increasing incidence of obesity in the Western world, there was again a renewed interest in this surgery for reducing weight. The gastric bypass was developed by Mason and Ito after several modifications and it emerged as a successful measure for treatment of morbid obesity with acceptable morbidity. With the advent of laparoscopy and the successful application of this technology to bariatric surgery, there was no looking back. Laparoscopy and stapling technology made the surgical procedure fast, bloodless, reduced leak rates and made patient recovery swifter than ever before.
Bariatric surgery has entered the Indian medical landscape only in this current millennium. The growth of the Indian economy with rising incomes and standards of living with urbanisation has also spurred obesity in India. In fact, India has become the diabetes capital of the world and ranks third amongst the entire world in the number of obese people after USA and China. The pressures of modern lifestyle coupled with the desire to be fit and healthy has increased the demand for Bariatric surgery in India. Bariatric surgeons in India have taken up this challenge head on and equipped themselves with the knowledge and skill set to perform this surgery safely with the best outcome. Earlier, these bariatric surgeries were being performed only in the big hospitals by very senior surgeons. But nowadays, young surgeons who have specialised in the field of bariatric surgery are giving remarkable results of these procedures at dedicated setups.
In a recent survey, it was estimated that around 15000 people undergo bariatric surgery in India every year and there is a growth rate of almost 20% per annum. Bariatric surgery in Delhi has also grown by leaps and bounds with a number of hospitals and doctors offering this facility to their patients. New Delhi being the capital city also has the potential for attracting international patients from various destinations particularly the middle east and Africa and can become the hub of medical tourism in the near future.
Considering the rising trends of obesity in India, it is no surprise that Bariatric surgery in Delhi and India will be on the increase in future with more and more patients opting for this treatment to get a cure from obesity.