Did you know that every 10 seconds a person dies in the world due to complications associated with diabetes? It is estimated that by the year 2025, this disease will affect more than 300 million people. Its exponential increase has become one of the most important health problems today.
One of the most frequent concerns in patients suffering from type 2 diabetes is that their treatment has been palliative until now (adequate diet + drugs + exercise), and as the disease progresses the patient is noticing a decrease in his quality of life , presenting cardiovascular problems, injury of peripheral nerves, renal failure and in some cases even blindness.Although efforts based on lifestyle change are essential to prevent diabetes, many people who already have or have difficulty gaining control over this desease do not know that there is a definitive treatment option in metabolic surgery.
What is Metabolic Surgery?
Metabolic surgery is the set of surgical procedures t used to treat metabolic disorders, such as: diabetes (blood sugar), hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol), hypertriglyceridemia (high triglycerides), among others.
The main surgical technique of metabolic surgery used for patients with diabetes is the GASTRIC BYPASS IN “Y” ROUX, which means to modify the anatomy of the digestive tract by creating a small stomach and attaching it to a handle of the small intestine, thus avoiding food travel digestive tract in its entirety, creating a different stimulus of the food ingested in the small intestine, thus producing a significant change in the metabolism of the patient.
How can this type of Surgery help me with my Diabetes?
The results after surgery show that about 90% of patients with Type II Diabetes Mellitus can be cured and the remaining 10% can significantly reduce their need for medication for diabetes, depending on the particular case of each person.
What happens after metabolic surgery is that the food reaches the terminal intestine faster and less digested, generating signals in the intestine that produce hormones and stimulate the pancreas to produce insulin, achieving normalize glucose control, thus reduce associated complications such as cardiovascular risks, blood lipid values and need for antihypertensive medication.
It is also important to note that because it is a laparoscopic procedure, in which small incisions are made “minimally invasive”, there is less postoperative pain, less bleeding, which translates into a faster recovery and a much shorter work incapacity .
Is there scientific research that supports metabolic surgery as a solution to my diabetes?
At present, there are multiple studies that support these new techniques as a definitive option for the treatment of diabetes.
Recently in 2016, a consensus was published among 45 global diabetes associations, including the American Diabetes Association (ADA), The International Diabetes Federation (IDF), The International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Diseases (IFSO), among others; which concluded that there is sufficient clinical and scientific evidence to include metabolic surgery in the treatment methods for diabetes, definitely a major step in medicine and essential support for patients who already have this disease.
How do I know if I am a suitable patient to perform a metabolic surgery?
If you are over 18 years and under 65, and you have resistance to insulin or diabetes mellitus type II (elevated blood glucose) you may be eligible for this type of surgery
If your type II diabetes has not been effectively controlled with intensive medical treatment (drugs, diet and exercise) or you are at the limits of medical treatment, you are also suitable for this type of surgery.
How should I prepare myself for this type of surgery?
First, the assessment of a specialist is of vital importance for the indication of the surgical medical treatment to follow. A multidisciplinary team must evaluate the patient.
In addition, some laboratory studies should be done to know how the pancreatic function of the patient is, in order to determine his metabolic health and thus specify what would be the benefit of the procedure.
It is also important to consider that it is not enough to carry out the surgery, every process begins with the patient’s serious commitment to improve his lifestyle, of course always hand in hand with his doctor.
For this reason, it is always recommended to go thru a complete evaluation with a surgical team that makes a comprehensive study and diagnosis of each particular case.