Bariatric surgery is a major abdominal surgical operation that involves stapling and removing part of stomach and intestines. It is recommended for severely obese individuals who are unable to shed their weight through diet and lifestyle measures alone.
The pre surgery period itself requires thorough investigation of the patient and proper preparation. The patient has to undergo a battery of tests which check all major body systems including heart, lungs , liver , kidney, etc. They are also instructed to follow a low calorie liquid diet regimen for at least a week before the surgery. This diet helps to shed a few pounds and remove the excess fat stored in the liver and the abdominal viscera. This makes these organs lighter snd easier to manipulate at the time of surgery. The patients are also instructed to avoid alcohol and smoking in this period, practise deep breathing exercises snd go for long walks to improve their cardiovascular function.
Sometimes, patients may not take these instructions seriously and skip on the liquid diet prescribed by the doctor. These patients may end up with a very heavy liver and loaded gut at the time of surgery which may hinder the surgical procedure. The doctor can make out if the diet is not followed by checking the weight and performing a pre operative scan for the patient. If the doctor feels that the patient has compliance issues, they might reconsider their decision to offer a bariatric surgery to such patients because they might also crate problems after the surgical procedure.
It is important to realise that the bariatric surgery is a lifestyle modification procedure and it requires a proper mental preparation and the correct temperament to achieve desirable long standing results. It should not be regarded as a quick fix to obesity as it requires a lifelong commitment to diet and lifestyle changes.