In simple terms, obesity is defined as an increase in fatty tissue in the body in a way that impairs general health. Although obesity is perceived as a cosmetic problem among the public, it is actually a serious health problem. Wrong eating habits, genetic disorders, sedentary life, excessive food consumption and hormonal factors can cause obesity. In addition, obesity causes important diseases such as heart diseases, diabetes, sexual dysfunction, musculoskeletal system diseases and sleep apnea.

What is Obesity?

Obesity is a complicated disorder that causes health problems as a result of excessive excess of fat tissue in the body. Body Mass Index (BMI) – Body Mass Index (BMI) calculation based on height and weight is used to calculate obesity: Over 30 is considered obese, over 40 is considered morbidly obese and over 50 is considered super obese by the World Health Organization. Personalized Obesity Surgery Obesity can be treated more comfortably with personalized treatment methods for appropriate obesity patients.

With advanced technology and our expert academic staff, the most appropriate treatment plan is offered to the patient. Personalized treatment options are determined by taking into account the patient’s gender, age, the results of the tests and examinations, and whether the patient has any obesity-related diseases.

Which Diseases Does Obesity Cause?

Obesity; In addition to the negative effects on body systems (endocrine system, cardiovascular system, respiratory system, gastrointestinal system, skin, genitourinary system, musculoskeletal system) on psychosocial status, it causes many health problems up to infertility by affecting sperm quality. Polycystic ovary syndrome in women is also more frequently associated with obesity.

Hypertension occurs 6 times more often in obesity patients compared to thin men and women. Hypertension following obesity is especially high in abdominal obesity, that is, when the waist circumference is over 80 cm in women and 94 cm in men.

Obesity prepares the necessary environment for the development of hypertension by simultaneously increasing the risk of heart diseases, diabetes and high cholesterol.

What is Obesity (Bariatric) Surgery?

Obesity surgery is the name given to all surgical interventions performed to eliminate morbid obesity and is called “bariatric surgery” in medicine. Bariatric surgery is currently the most effective method for maintaining weight loss in morbidly obese patients. Bariatric surgery comes into play when the patient cannot lose the expected weight with diet, physical exercise, behavior modification and medications.

Bariatric surgery can be considered as a chance offered to patients who struggle to survive with advanced obesity to get rid of this disease. The most important goals of bariatric surgery are to achieve sustainable weight loss, improved quality of life, reduced complication rate, cost-effectiveness and low mortality rate. In order to achieve these goals, the bariatric surgery team should evaluate the patient’s eating habits, nutritional and clinical status very well, make a psychological evaluation to detect eating behavior disorders and follow the patient for a lifetime with a team including a dietician. What are the methods used in obesity surgery?

Restrictive methods

It reduces the volume or capacity of the stomach and thus limits caloric intake by allowing early satiety. These include laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB), vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG), laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (sleeve gastrectomy=LSG) and gastric balloon.

Sleeve Gastrectomy

It is a surgical obesity treatment method applied in people with additional diseases such as knee and heart problems or in patients with a body mass index of 40 and above even though they have no disease. Basically, during the surgery, 85% of the stomach volume is removed with various medical instruments and the stomach is tubularized. The main purpose of the surgery is to restrict the volume of food that the stomach can take. Gastric sleeve surgery alone is not a weight loss method. In the postoperative period, patients should follow a new diet program and exercise program as much as they can. If patients follow the diet and exercise program, they can lose 65% – 80% of the excess weight within the first year.

Stomach Balloon

Gastric balloon is a non-surgical weight loss method for overweight patients. This method allows a balloon sent endoscopically into the stomach to reach a certain volume in the stomach by inflating it with various special liquids. Thus, the feeling of saturation is achieved early and the patient’s food intake is restricted. Patients with gastric balloon procedure cannot lose weight only with the effect of the gastric balloon. As with other procedures, patients should follow an appropriate diet and exercise program.

Gastric balloon procedure is performed under sedation in the endoscopy unit under the supervision of an anesthesiologist. Patients do not feel anything during the procedure. After the procedure; the patient is discharged after 3-4 hours of follow-up under the supervision of a doctor.

Methods that impair absorption

They reduce caloric intake by reducing nutrient flow and bypassing the absorptive site. These are biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) and jejunoileal bypass.

Combined methods

These are methods that both restrict food intake and reduce absorption. These are Roux en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and duodenal switch (DS). **In addition to surgery, it is possible to achieve successful results with endoscopic methods in the fight against obesity. Patients who are concerned about the risks of surgical methods may prefer gastric balloon and endoscopic gastric sleeve applications.

Gastric Bypass

There are many methods applied in obesity surgery. Gastric Bypass surgery is the most common of these methods. Gastric Bypass surgery; It is applied in the treatment of obesity-related diseases. One of the most preferred and applied diseases is Type 2 diabetes.

Gastric Bypass surgery is a method that both restricts eating and prevents absorption. Since the patient’s stomach volume will shrink after the surgery, the desire to eat will also decrease. Thus, the patient can lose weight more easily.