Researchers Further Define the Risks and Benefits of Gastric Bypass and Gastric Band Surgeries

As the obesity problem reached epidemic proportions both in the United States and around the world, increasing numbers of people are taking extreme steps to help maintain a healthy weight. The prevalence of surgical procedures designed to severely limit the amount of food that can be eaten has increased substantially in recent years. In 2006, it is estimated that over 200,000 people underwent some form of gastric surgery as part of a weight loss effort, and that number is expected to skyrocket over the next five years.

These types of procedures physically constrain the stomach, making it virtually impossible to overeat without experiencing extreme discomfort nd, in some cases, prompting unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms. As such, patients who have had gastric surgery typically lose weight rapidly and, in most cases, do not gain it back.

However, although these procedures are clearly linked with successful, rapid weight loss, they have also prompted some controversy. Many researchers and physicians have asserted that the long-term consequences of weight-loss surgeries are not yet fully understood. This week, we?ll take a look at some of the most recent research findings pertaining to gastric bypass and gastric band surgeries.

New Assessment Procedure Allows Surgery Risk to be Predicted More Accurately

One of the most controversial aspects of gastric weight-loss surgery is the high risk of mortality and morbidity associated with the procedures. According to one well-known 2005 study, as many as one in fifty gastric bypass patients died within a month of surgery. However, these risks have not deterred obese patients from seeking out the procedures; indeed, demand for the surgeries have only increased in recent years.

In order to minimize the risk associated with gastric weight-loss surgeries, a team of researchers at Duke University analyzed the records of thousands of patients who had undergone the procedures. Using this data, they were able to identify five risk factors that were associated with a patient having a greater risk for morbidity, mortality, and other post-surgery complications.

The five risk factors that were linked with the greatest chance of adverse outcomes from gastric weight-loss surgery included:

• Being male

• Being over the age of 45

• Having a body mass index of more than 50

• Having high blood pressure

• Having a high risk for developing blood clots in the lungs

The researchers said that this risk assessment tool would help identify not only which patients should avoid the surgery, but also those who may need increased after-care during the recovery process. It is believed that the widespread application of this tool will reduce the risks associated with the increasingly popular procedures.

Gastric Band Surgery Increases Insulin Sensitivity in Diabetics

Gastric band surgery, which entails placing a restrictive elastic band around the stomach to limit food intake, has been shown to be a very successful method of promoting lasting weight loss. In addition, the findings of a recent study indicate that the procedure may hold promise as a treatment for diabetics.

In a study conducted by researchers at the University of North Texas Health Science Center, diabetic patients who underwent the gastric banding procedure began to display signs of responding to insulin, the hormone that regulates sugar in the blood. Most diabetics lose their sensitivity to insulin, and thus, their body?s ability to naturally regulate the blood sugar.

However, in the experiment, the diabetic patients had regained 60% of their insulin sensitivity within six months of undergoing the gastric banding surgery. In addition, the researchers reported that the effect was still observable even if the patients were still technically obese. In the future, similar procedures may be established as part of a standard treatment protocol for overweight patients with diabetes or insulin insensitivity.

Link between Gastric Bypass Surgery and Several Serious Neurological Conditions Probed

Researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock recently reported the results of a study that indicated that patients who have undergone gastric bypass surgery may be at heightened risk for a number of grave brain disorders and troubling neurological symptoms, including confusion, auditory hallucinations, optic neuropathy, weakness and loss of sensation in the legs, and pain in the feet.

The longitudinal study, which was conducted over the course of ten years, concluded that the neurological symptoms may be the result of long-term nutritional deficiencies. The surgical procedure that is used in gastric bypass surgery decreases the body?s ability to absorb vitamins and minerals naturally, and over time, these deficiencies can result in serious health problems, including neurological disorders. The researchers recommended that increased scrutiny should be afforded to patients? dietary and nutritional intake after the procedure.

Though they remain controversial, the current trend indicates that gastric weight-loss surgeries will remain a constant feature of the spectrum of weight-loss options available to obese and overweight individuals in the future. Keep an eye on this space for more research news to support your weight loss journey.