The first bariatric surgery for patients with morbid obesity was performed in Yakutsk

From February 7 to 10, leading professors of the Institute of Plastic Surgery and Cosmetology of the Russian Federation held a training workshop for bariatric surgery for patients with morbid obesity for surgeons at the National Center for Medicine. Yakut medicine took another step forward.

For more detailed information on new methods of treating obesity, Sakhalife.ru turned to the Deputy General Director for Innovative Development and Information Technology, a surgeon of the highest category, an excellent public health officer of the Russian Federation Stanislav ZHIRKOV.

– Stanislav Nikolaevich, as far as we know, since January 2020, a whole center to combat obesity has opened in the Medical Center. Now Yakut surgeons have learned to do operations to reduce the stomach. Are there so many obese people in Yakutia?

– Yes, since January we have had a Center for Surgery of Weight and Metabolic Disorders. Indeed, in Yakutia, in fact, there are a lot of people with morbid obesity, that is, morbid obesity – with a body mass index (BMI) of more than 30 and with concomitant diseases associated with obesity.

I understand why you asked such a question – people with morbid obesity in most cases are isolated from society and we simply do not see them. In fact, according to WHO, obesity is a global epidemic. 1.7 billion people in the world are overweight. And this figure is constantly increasing. In modern countries, much attention is paid to this area, since such operations are cheaper for the state than later dealing with long-term complications of obesity (cerebral stroke, myocardial infarction, complications from organs and tissues).

– Really?

– Yes, they just lead a very secretive lifestyle. Shy of their appearance, they sit at home for years and continue to eat in large quantities. As a result of an incredible weight gain (I saw cases when one “apron” on the stomach weighed 20 kg), simply embarrassment turns into a huge inferiority complex, closes a person in the framework of not only an apartment. He becomes very lonely, closed, unhappy. Worse, a person loses the ability to self-service, becomes dependent on the actions of other people.

But this is not so bad. Obesity contributes to an increased risk of developing arterial hypertension, sleep apnea syndrome, diabetes mellitus, and infertility. Without exaggeration, people with morbid obesity are constantly on the verge of life and death. These people need help!

“And it’s good that there is bariatric surgery.” Tell us more about these operations.

– Bariatric surgery is a section of surgery that treats obesity. Simply put, these are operations to reduce the stomach. Indeed, whatever one may say, excess weight in the predominant amount of the case is associated with overeating. Do not believe it, but there were cases when the stomach of a patient with morbid obesity had volumes up to 10 liters …

To date, there are several methods of bariatric surgery that can achieve weight loss with varying degrees of effectiveness: gastric bypass surgery; adjustable gastric banding; sleeve gastroplasty and biliopancreatic shunting. All operations are performed by laparoscopy without a large incision using mini-access.

In cases when carrying out abdominal surgery is not possible, the technique of installing an intragastric balloon is used. This is an endoscopic manipulation in which a blown balloon is introduced into the stomach, which is then filled with saline. The balloon is set for 6 months and then removed.

Each of them has its own indications and contraindications, and therefore the question of which technique will be applied is decided by the doctor after the patient undergoes a medical examination.

– What happens after the operation?

– The reduction in overweight during these operations is achieved by reducing the amount of food consumed. Weight loss surgery has two goals: firstly, to reduce the amount of food that can be eaten in one go by reducing the volume of the stomach, and secondly, to reduce the absorption of nutrients in the small intestine. Therefore, after the operation, the most pleasant thing happens – the client gradually and painlessly loses weight, can lose up to 75% (!) Of his excess weight. Usually this happens within a year and a half years.

Next comes the second stage of bariatric surgery – we remove sagging tissues and tighten. A person returns to normal life.

– Bravo!

– But not everything is so simple … Bariatric surgery belongs to the category of “severe”. An operation is only the first stage of a person returning to normal form. And rehabilitation, I’ll say right away, is rather painful. The operation can lead to impaired absorption of vitamins, psychological trauma due to the inability to take the same amount of food (from the category of bulimia). Someone is starting hair loss, anemia …

For this reason, and in order to avoid recurrence of weight gain after surgery, a whole team of doctors is “assigned” to each patient, so-called multidisciplinary support is conducted. Endocrinologists, cardiologists, nutritionists, etc. work with a person. The patient is engaged in physical education, keeps a nutrition diary, undergoes regular physical examinations.

Everyone can calculate their body mass index (BMI): their weight (expressed in kilograms) must be divided twice by their height (expressed in meters). The resulting figure will show BMI.

A separate and most important topic is the socialization of the patient. To this end, we will necessarily involve psychologists, and, if possible, psychiatrists, in rehabilitation work.

– Yes, socialization is the most important factor. Such people need to get out of the house at least to the doctors, for the sake of their health. Please tell us about the Center for Surgery of Weight and Metabolic Disorders. Suddenly someone reads and decides to finally leave the house.

– Any resident of the republic with a body mass index of more than 30 can contact the center if there are concomitant diseases associated with overweight: type 2 diabetes mellitus, joint damage, etc. It is scientifically proven that after the operation these diseases can be cured – for example, diabetes mellitus disappears due to the removal of the corresponding hormone-producing zone during surgery.

– This is not unnatural – when a person loses weight in this way?

– Overweight is unnatural. What can be a bad return of a person to his natural, harmonious weight?

– Yes, this is a real breakthrough in Yakut surgery. How many doctors trained in new techniques?

– All our innovative undertakings are realized thanks to our leader, Nikolai Vasilievich Luginov, for this we are very grateful. New endeavors always require solutions, additional strength, costs and loads on surgical teams. Our specialists are successfully introducing new technologies and types of treatment. It is always the work of a large team. And we are always ready! And this is the most important thing. In this case, the leading surgeons of the departments of the National Center for Medicine underwent training as part of the program for introducing new technologies. They were very lucky to receive knowledge from such luminaries as professors Fedenko Vadim Viktorovich and Bordan Natalya Semenovna. Professionals with a capital letter! Operations were performed in an integrated online operating room using all the latest digital technologies.

And our surgeons have already taken up their noble cause, bariatric operations will be performed on stream.

– How can I enroll in the Center for Surgery of Weight and Metabolic Disorders and get the opportunity for these operations?

– Make an appointment at the call center 8 800 444 3099 and go for a consultation.

– What are the future plans of the new center?

– Study, study and study again! There are a lot of plans and hopes. I would like to enter the program of high-tech medical care, expand the range of operations. And, of course, to cure and improve the quality of life for the maximum number of obese patients. People are our top priority.

– Thanks for the hope! May it be so!

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