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Weight Loss Surgery
Thousands of clinical compensation claims are initiated every year in the United Kingdom by medical negligence solicitors on behalf of people from all walks of life. A multitude of operations and procedures are executed successfully however a small percentage do go wrong, laying the grounds for medical negligence solicitors to take legal action in order to claim compensation. Both legal aid and the no win no fee scheme are available to pursue medical negligence compensation claims.
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Weight loss surgery is also called bariatric surgery and is designed to alter the function of your digestive system so you take in very little food at a time. The end result of bariatric surgery is that you lose weight-often up to hundreds of pounds. The medical conditions associated with obesity often go away so that you are of a normal weight without diseases like hypertension and obesity. The most common weight loss surgery is called a gastric bypass because it actually shrinks the size of the stomach and bypasses the way food goes down the digestive tract.
The gastric bypass isn't the right procedure for everyone. It is a huge procedure that carries its own risks and side effects. Even with the surgery, you need to make sure you change your lifestyle so as to affect the greatest change in the weight. You need to prepare a great deal for weight loss surgery so you know how to eat, how to exercise and what to eat to keep your body healthy. The surgical success depends on the surgeon and your ability to follow the directions of the bariatric staff.
Gastric bypass surgery is especially designed for people with a BMI of 40 or greater. If you have diabetes or high blood pressure and you have a BMI of 35-40, you may also be a candidate for the procedure.
There are various types of gastric bypass surgery. These include:
- Roux-en-Y bariatric surgery. Most doctors prefer this type of surgery. The doctor creates a small gastric pouch and bypasses a part of the small intestine to limit absorption of food.
- Biliopancreatic Diversion with duodenal switch. This involves making a small sleeve out of the stomach and a limited portion of the small intestine remains. The rest of the small intestine is not connected to food absorption. There is an increased risk of complications, including malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies with this procedure. It is reserved for those with a BMI of greater than 50.
- The Lap Band Procedure. This involves using an inflatable band that is placed like a doughnut around your stomach, creating a small gastric pouch. The band can be adjusted to allow the passage of more or less food through the doughnut hole. It is a simple procedure that has a lower complication rate than regular procedures. It doesn't work as fast as the other surgical procedures.
- The vertical band procedure. This is a procedure that is also called stomach stapling. It divides the stomach in half so there is less space in the stomach. No bypass is performed. It isn't known to lead to adequate long term loss of weight so many doctors don't do it.
- Sleeve gastrectomy. It is a procedure for very large people who can't have a gastric bypass yet. The stomach is made into a tube and is the first part of the biliopancreatic procedure that is eventually done at a later date when some weight has come off.
Complications of gastric bypass and related procedures include the typical problems with bleeding, infection or hernia formation. With these procedures in particular, there can be vitamin or mineral deficiency, gallstones, dehydration, stomach ulcers that bleed, food intolerance, kidney stones, hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. More serious complications include death at the time of surgery, deep vein thromboses which can lead to pulmonary emboli or blood clots in the lungs, pneumonia, leakage along the staple lines, blockage of the stomach exit into the small intestine or narrowing that doesn't allow food to pass, and dumping syndrome, where the food dumps into the small intestine very quickly, leading to nausea, vomiting, dizziness, sweating or diarrhea.
You'll need to go through an intensive screening process by a physician, psychologist, dietician and surgeon, who will let you know if you are a good candidate for the procedure or not. Certain pre-existing conditions, such as having a laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication or heart burn surgery, mean that you can't have the gastric bypass surgery. You need to show a willingness to follow through on the eating recommendations and exercise plan of the doctors and nutritionists so you can have the maximum effect from the surgery. If you aren't medically and psychologically ready for the surgery, it may have to be postponed until a later date.