Why should you consider obesity surgery if you have diabetes?
More and more people seem to suffer from diabetes, a disease that can be fatal if it is not kept under control. One of the main causes for diabetes is obesity. But if the most effective treatment for obesity is bariatric surgery, could this have a role play in the treatment of diabetes?
So far, surgeons performed this procedure as a last-resort for obese people in order to lose weight. The fact that their diabetes symptoms improved, was seen as side-effect of weight loss.
But, recent studies have shown that even people who are also mildly obese, but suffer from diabetes should undergo this procedure. Patients who have done this surgery confirmed that their blood pressure levels have improved and that they also reduced medication for Diabetes. Obesity in people with Type 2 diabetes occurs often because over the time, the body loses its ability to produce insulin, the hormone that is responsible of turning food into energy.
Bariatric surgery for Diabetes, also known as metabolic surgery, is recommended to patients with class III obesity (BMI over 40 kg/m²) and class II obesity (BMI between 35 and 39.9 kg/m²) is hyperglycemia cannot be controlled by medication and lifestyle changes. Metabolic surgery could also be considered by patients suffering from Type 2 Diabetes, with a BMI of under 30 and 34.9 kg/m², if their hyperglycemia is inadequately controlled.
A study published in the American Journal of Medicine, showed that 78.1% of the people suffering from Type 2 Diabetes, who had bariatric surgery, got rid of the diseas, while the others saw an improvement in symptoms. The results were different, depending on the type of surgery that was performed: gastric band yielded a 56.7% resolution, gastric bypass 80.3%, gastroplasty 79.7% and BPD/DS 95.1%.
So why does bariatric surgery work for diabetes patients?
Specialists are still not sure how or why obesity surgery has these effects for patients with diabetes, but they think it might alter the hormones, improve insulin resistance and reduce hunger.
Bariatric surgery for Diabetes, also called metabolic surgery, has become far less invasive in recent years. Therefore the risk of death or serious side effects from surgery is small and comparable to gallbladder operations or hysterectomies.
But although surgeons have improved the procedures, the medical system prevents hundreds of patients from getting surgery in time. In Canada, a patient has to wait 5.2 years to get the much needed bariatric surgery.
That is why, more and more patients choose to go abroad to benefit from metabolic surgery, Mexico being one of the top choices. The cost of the procedure is between $10,000 and $10,800 and it includes executive pre-operative check-up, accommodation in private room for 4 nights, surgeon and anesthesia fees, meals, transportation services to/from hospital-airport and translation services. But the most important thing to remember is that there are no waiting lists.
The price for gastric sleeve surgery in Mexico varies between $4,500 - $6,800 and for a gastric bypass the patient would pay between $6,500 - $9,000.
Medical tourism is a viable option for patients who want to have access to affordable, high-quality metabolic surgery.
PlacidWay, a leader in the medical tourism industry, can help patients access modern healthcare facilities all over the world, affordable medical care and highly trained surgeons. PlacidWay's network has over 500 renowned medical centers from over 40 countries and 250 cities from India to Korea to Mexico and Turkey.
If you need more information about metabolic surgery or if you want to know how you can access some of the best medical facilities in the world, please contact us!
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