Bariatric surgery is a laparoscopic surgery done using small keyhole incisions. The surgery is performed under general anaesthesia using sophisticated instruments and equipment that make the surgery precise and bloodless.
The recovery after undergoing a Bariatric surgery is quite rapid. The patient is generally awake within a few minutes of completion of the procedure and is kept under observation in the HDU/ recovery room for 1-2 hours. They are then shifted to their own room thereafter where they can meet their relatives/ attendants. The patient can move their limbs and sit up in their bed within a few hours. They can go the washroom and take a few drops of water as well at this time.
The next day , the patients are started on a clear liquid diet which is to be taken gradually. They can walk in their rooms and also sit in a chair or sofa. They are encouraged to be active and there is no need for a complete bed rest. If the patients tolerate a liquid diet well and pass flats and urine , they are generally discharged on the following day.
The complete recovery process usually takes one week but sometimes patients are well enough to join work earlier. They are instructed to walk as much as possible and also take 1-1.5 litres of fluid per day. The diet is gradually advanced over the next few weeks to include puréed and soft foods and finally a normal diet may be started after 6-8 weeks of surgery.
So, the overall recovery after bariatric surgery is quite rapid and effortless without much complications.