LATEST STATSEVENT CALENDAR Available CDs ARCHIVES 
  Home
  Editorial
  Article1
  Event
ARTICLE
Vol. 06 No. 08 AUGUST 2006

    India in the Grip of Obesity Epidemic

 
 


Dr. Parveen Bhatia

Consultant Laparoscopic Surgeon & Medical Director,
Bhatia Global Hospital & Endosurgery Institute
www.bhatiaglobalhospital.com
Email: bhatiaglobal@yahoo.co.in

 

 
       
 
Dr. Ashish Vashistha
Consultant Bariatric Surgeon,
BGH&EI, MAX

 

 

Obesity is a complex disease influenced by the interaction of several genetic, endocrine, metabolic and enviromental factors. It has gained epidemic proportions in India, with nearly 120 million of the adult population affected. With obesity comes an array of debilitating and life-threatening comorbidities including adult-onset diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, sleep apnea syndrome, cholelithiasis, cardiovascular disease, renal disease, osteoarthritis, psychosocial problems and an increased risk of uterine, colon, and breast cancer.

The method of defining the relationship between body weight and frame size is the body mass index (BMI). Obesity is defined as a BMI of greater than 30kg/m2. The 1991 National Institutes of Health (NIH) Consensus Panel defined morbid obesity as a BMI of 35kg/m2 or more with obesity related comorbidities or 40 kg/m2 without comorbidities. Super-obese patients are defined as having a BMI of 50 kg/m2 or greater. Other definition of morbid obesity includes patients who weigh at least 200% of their ideal body weight.

No dietary approach has achieved long-term success for treating morbid obesity. Several weight-reducing agents including, currently available Sibutramine and orlistat are associated with only a 10% weight loss in most studies. Surgery has been the only method proven effective in maintaining long-term weight loss, with current options including restrictive, malabsorptive or a combination of both procedures. The restrictive procedures decreases food intake by creating a small upper stomach pouch to limit food intake i.e. laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB). The malabsorptive procedure alter digestion, thus causing the food to be poorly digested and incompletely absorbed i.e. Laparoscopic Biliopancreatic Diversion with duodenal switch (BPD with DS). There are procedures that combine the restrictive and malabsorptive mechanism of weight loss surgery i.e. laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGBP). It must be remembered that an effective bariatric procedure is one that results in a sustained excess weight loss (EWL) of greater than 50% and resolution of comorbid conditions.

Laparoscopic surgical techniques have dramatically evolved over the last two decades and have created a worldwide revolution in the field of bariatric surgery. Although laparoscopic techniques have progressively replaced the open approach to bariatric surgery, great disparity exists regarding the preferred procedure around the world. The gastric bypass and duodenal switch currently represent nearly 80% to 90% of laparoscopic bariatric procedures in the United States and Canada, whereas laparoscopic gastric restrictive procedures still represent the majority of bariatric procedures performed in Europe. Several reasons may explain this disparity; most important of all, different dietary habits and lower BMI (35 to 50 kg/m2) in European patients may explain the potential for a better response to gastric restrictive procedures. This is in contrast to the United States population, in which a higher BMI among patients is more common. Gastric restriction typically fails in these super-obese patients, and malabsorptive bariatric procedures remain the mainstay of surgical treatment in this group.

LAPAROSCOPIC ADJUSTABLE GASTRIC BANDING (LAGB)
The procedures require banding of the upper stomach via placement of an adjustable silicone band to achieve a sensation of satiety with small meals. The method of LAGB placement has evolved into the pars flaccida technique. Principles of the pars flaccida technique include the creation of a very small proximal pouch (15ml), posterior dissection just below the crura above the reflection of the bursa omentalis, improved anterior suture fixation of the fundus and anterior gastric wall over the band, and complete deflation of the low pressure band at the time of placement. The port is attached to the tubing, excess tubing is passed into the peritoneal cavity, and the port is secured to the anterior rectus sheath with permanent sutures.

The restrictive procedures usually are simple, technically easier with low complication rates. The lap band procedure may not be the best surgical option in certain patient subgroups, including super-obese patients, diabetics, patients with hiatal hernia or significant gastroesophageal reflux disease. The combination of proper surgical technique, restricted diet, patient cooperation, and close patient follow-up with frequent band adjustments performed in a comprehensive bariatric program setting may make this device an effective surgical treatment of morbid obesity.Under these conditions, an excess weight loss of 50 - 65% can be anticipated.

LAPAROSCOPIC ROUX-EN-Y GASTRIC BYPASS (LRYGBP)
The Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) was first described by Mason nearly 30 years ago, and it is the gold standard bariatric procedure. This RYGBP is constructed using a small 15 to 20mL gastric pouch and a Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy. This procedure creates malabsorption by bypassing the distal stomach, proximal duodenum, and a variable length of the jejunum depending on the length of the Roux limb. A Roux limb length between 50 and 100cm appears to be preferred by most surgeons with similar results. Improved weight loss in super-obese patients without significantly greater morbidity can be obtained utilizing a 150cm Roux length. Antecolic placement of the Roux limb appears equally as safe as the retrocolic position with a lower risk of internal hernia formation. The Linear stapler anastomosis (LSA) can be performed more expeditiously than the Hand-sewn anastomosis or Circular stapler anastomosis (CSA).

The data suggest the superior weight loss benefits in RYGBP patient without the long-term sequelae of band erosion, reflux and vomiting. Most of the nutrient and vitamin deficiencies caused by the gastric bypass (iron deficiency anemia and vitamin B12 deficiency) were correctable with vitamin supplementation. In addition, the altered anatomy reliably produces altered gut absorption leading to symptoms of dumping syndrome in response to high-calorie sweets intake. This likely remains an important difference from pure gastric restriction and explains some of the greater weight loss. Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in most clinical series have demonstrated excess weight loss (EWL averaging between 65 - 85%).

LAPAROSCOPIC BILIOPANCREATIC DIVERSION WITH DUODENAL SWITCH (BPD WITH DS)
Although the BPD continued to be a successful bariatric procedure producing adequate weight loss in most clinical seires, several complications including marginal ulceration, diarrhea, and protein calorie malnutrition were seen more commonly than in gastric bypass patients. A modification to the BPD with a duodenal switch consisting of a sleeve gastrectomy and a duodeno-ileostomy proposed by Hess and Marceau appeared to reduce the incidence of these complications. Their common channel was 50 to 100 cm in length, whereas the alimentary limb measured variably from 225 to 350 cm. Their results were excellent, with reportedmean EWL of 80% at 2 years and 70 % at 8 years. Overall, BPD with or without duodenal switch appears to be a very effective weight loss procedure for the super-obese (BMI greater than 50) with improvement in diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and obstructive sleep apnea. These patients should be followed closely and aggressive vitamin and mineral supplementation should be performed.

LAPAROSCOPIC SLEEVE GASTRECTOMY (SG)
Bariatric surgery is technically difficult in super obese and should be cautiously applied in BMI greater than 60 kg/m2, and high risk individual. Sleeve gastrectomy or a two staged procedure i.e. SG + LRYGBP or SG + BPD - DS is an emerging option, as it reduce the risk and yet achieve satisfactory weight loss in super morbidly obese. In Sleeve gastrectomy greater curvature gastrectomy is done with starting point 6cm from pylorus, along a 32 Fr bougie to form a 60-80 cc gastric tube. No long term nutritional deficiency and dumping is there, as no intestinal bypass is done and pylorus is preserved. Long term results are awaited.

SUMMARY
Several bariatric procedures are available that have excellent long-term weight loss results and are backed by several large clinical trials. Purely restrictive procedures like LABG is ideal to occasional female treatment - compliant individual with a BMI below 45 and a normal Lower oesophageal sphincter, who may be a sweet eater. VBG have fallen out of favour because of inadequate long-term weight loss. Gastric bypass and the BPD are well-studied and show significant resolution of obesityrelated comorbidities. Long-term nutritional consequences are seen more commonly after malabsorptive procedures i.e BPD than after hybrid malabsorptive-restrictive procedure i.e gastric bypass. Because compliance and long-term nutritional follow-up are mandatory after any bariatric procedure, purely malabsorptive procedures should be reserved for superobese patients who are at risk for inadequate longterm weight loss. For super obese and high risk patient sleeve gastrectomy is an emerging promising option. Furthermore, minimally invasive techniques have evolved and essentially have eliminated the high incidence of postoperative wound complications and incisional hernias frequently seen after open procedures. Until the development of a similarly successful procedure, gastric bypass will continue to be the gold standard bariatric procedure with its concurrent sustained weight loss benefits and resolution of comorbidities.

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

back to top