• ENG

Bariatric Surgery Gives 40-Year-Old New Lease Of Life: How It Helps?

Bariatric Surgery Gives 40-Year-Old New Lease Of Life: How It Helps?

A 40-year-old man who weighed 112 kg underwent bariatric surgery post-COVID infection. Here's how the surgery helped him live his life.

Written by Arushi Bidhuri |Updated : July 3, 2022 4:01 PM IST

A 40-year-old businessman weighing 122 kgs and a body mass index (BMI) of 42.2 Kg/m2 was given new lease of life with bariatric surgery. He had to undergo surgery post excessive weight gain. She underwent a right leg amputation in a road traffic accident during childhood, which forced him to gain weight over the years. Fast forward to the COVID pandemic, he got infected in 2020 and was on steroids that added to his problems and hampered his mobility. Following this, he was unable to sustain normal weight and reached 112 kg.

Bariatric Surgery Saved 40-Year-Old Man

Dr Aparna Govil Bhasker, a consultant bariatric surgeon, who treated him said, "At the time of surgery, Mr Tiwari's weight was 122 kg and body mass index was 42.2 Kg/m2. There are multiple types of bariatric surgeries like the Roux en y gastric bypass, single anastomosis gastric bypass, and sleeve gastrectomy. He underwent bariatric surgery for weight loss in the form of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in August 2021."

"Bariatric surgery is the only effective method for sustained weight loss in patients with severe obesity (when BMI >35 Kg/m2). In a gastric sleeve operation, the stomach is divided vertically using surgical staplers and a sleeve-like pouch is created. This restricts the quantity of food intake, leads to early satiety, reduces appetite, and causes many hormonal changes, which lead to weight loss," she added.

Also Read

More News

Dr Bhasker added, "Mr Tiwari lost 43 kgs in the last 9 months. Today he feels a lot more energetic and the pain in his hip joints has decreased significantly. There are numerous reports that have linked obesity as a risk factor for developing more severe illnesses of COVID-19 as in this patient's case. Post-Covid recovery in patients with obesity is also challenging. The use of steroids in his case led to avascular necrosis of hip joints which is the death of bone tissue due to a lack of blood supply. This further reduced his mobility which in turn led to more weight gain, thus forming a vicious cycle. Bariatric surgery is a boon in patients like him for whom there are no other avenues for weight loss due to their multiple medical conditions."

Importance Of Nutrition Post Bariatric Surgery

Bariatric nutritionist Ms Mariam Lakdawala adds, "it is very important to focus on nutrition after bariatric surgery. Patients who embrace lifestyle modification tend to be much better in the long term." She helps post-bariatric surgery patients to improve the quality of their diet and make them more nutrient-rich. A good diet, regular supplementation, and moderate physical activity help patients to lose weight in a healthy manner after surgery."