Medical Weight Loss
Description
Weight loss is the burning of excessive calories from your body. It also ensures that the intake of calories is less than the number of calories burnt. Weight loss becomes highly necessary when your excessive weight causes hindrances to healthy living. Non-surgical methods of weight loss are the first line of treatment recommended for maintaining a healthy weight.
What if Left Untreated?
When weight loss methods are not undertaken, obesity and overweight can lead to major health risks such as heart diseases, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer, and orthopedic and reproductive problems.
Treatment Options
Some of the non-surgical methods of weight loss include:
- Lifestyle changes: Making changes in your lifestyle to involve a healthy diet and physical activity and maintaining balance between your calorie intake and output.
- Healthy eating habits: Eating healthy foods such as fat-free or low-fat foods, lean meat, fish, nuts, whole grains, vegetables and fresh fruits. Foods rich in saturated and trans fats, such as sausages, processed meat, added sugars, baked food and fried food should be avoided. Cutting back on the quantity of food intake helps limit calorie intake.
- Physical activity: Exercising and keeping yourself physically active will help you maintain a very healthy life. Physical activity also reduces risk of heart diseases, diabetes and cancers, helps to strengthen your muscles, bone and joints and improves the working of your heart and lungs. Being physically fit also relaxes the brain and reduces your stress levels.
- Weight loss medications: Another option to lose weight non-surgically is through weight loss medicines. These medications are prescribed if you are unable to lose weight by dietary changes and physical activities. Weight loss medications act by reducing the absorption of fat into your body or decreasing your appetite.
Outcome
Non-surgical weight loss through healthy life choices can help to reduce at least 10% of your initial weight. However, if you do not get relief despite the above methods, then Dr. Shakov may recommend you surgical treatment.
The common weight loss surgeries include:
- Gastric bypass surgery, also called Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, involves creating a small pouch on top your stomach and bypassing the flow of food directly to the small intestine, thereby avoiding absorption from the remaining part of the stomach.
- Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) or lap band surgery involves separating your stomach into a small upper pouch and a larger lower pouch using an adjustable band. The food intake is restricted or limited by adjusting the band. This procedure is minimally invasive, and offers slow and steady weight-loss.
- Sleeve gastrectomy, also called tube gastrectomy, involves reducing the size of the stomach by stapling or by removing a large part of the stomach to reduce the absorption of food. After this procedure, your stomach appears like a tube rather than a pouch.
- Biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) with duodenal switch is a complex surgical procedure which involves removing a large portion of the stomach and bypassing the food flow away from the upper portion of the small intestine. This procedure offers significant weight loss, but can be associated with several complications.
Depending on your individual health and personal requirements, your surgeon will determine which of these methods will help achieve the best results in weight loss.
Open Appendectomy
What is the Appendix?
The appendix is a fingerlike pouch attached to the large intestine and located in the lower right area of the abdomen. Scientists are not sure what the appendix does, if anything, but removing it does not appear to affect a person’s health.
What is Appendicitis?
Appendicitis is a painful swelling and infection of the appendix. Appendicitis is a medical emergency that requires immediate care. People who think they have appendicitis should see a doctor or go to the emergency room right away. Swift diagnosis and treatment reduce the chances the appendix will burst and improve recovery time.
What are the indications for an open appendectomy?
Surgery to remove the appendix is called appendectomy. Dr. Shakov may recommend an open appendectomy if your appendix has already burst or if you have had a previous open abdominal surgery.
How should I prepare for an open appendectomy?
Before the procedure, Dr. Shakov will briefly explain the entire procedure. You will be offered the opportunity to ask any questions that you may have about the procedure. Dr. Shakov will obtain your entire medical history, perform a thorough physical examination, and obtain blood and other diagnostic tests to check for any abnormality. You should notify Dr. Shakov about your medications, allergies, or any other existing medical condition. You will be instructed to be on an empty stomach before undergoing the procedure. Dr. Shakov will instruct you on specific preparation depending on your condition.
How is an open appendectomy performed?
You will be given general anesthesia, which means you will sleep throughout the entire procedure. A 2-to 3-inch incision will be made in the lower right portion of your abdomen. Your abdominal muscles will be separated and an entry way will be created into your abdominal cavity. On entering into the abdominal cavity, your appendix will be located. Your appendix will then be tied off with sutures and removed. If Dr. Shakov finds your appendix to be ruptured, he or she will wash your abdomen thoroughly with saline and place a small tube in the incision to drain out any fluids or pus. Your surgeon will then close the lining of your abdominal cavity and abdominal muscles with stitches. On completion of the procedure, the appendix will be sent to the laboratory for analysis. Dr. Shakov will close your skin incision with sutures or surgical staples and apply sterile dressings over the surgical wound.
What can I expect after the procedure?
You will be admitted in the hospital for up toa week. You will be given antibioticsand pain medications by Dr. Shakov. It is quite normal to feel constipated and you will be prescribed medicines for the same by Dr. Shakov. You will be instructed on proper wound care and activity restrictions. You may return to your normal activities in a week or two after your procedure. You will need to avoid strenuous activities for four to six weeks following your open appendectomy. Dr. Shakov will make arrangements for your follow-up visits, usually two to three weeks after your procedure. Stitches will be removed during a follow-up visit to Dr. Shakov’s office.
When to seek medical advice?
It is important to check for any signs of problems during your postoperative period. Contact Dr. Shakov immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms:
- Increasing pain or swelling
- Repeated vomiting
- Persistent fever above 101 degrees Fahrenheit
- Bleeding or discharge from the incision site
- Difficulty breathing or persistent coughing
What are the risks of an open appendectomy?
Appendectomies are one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures and long-term complications are rare. Some of the potential risks include wound infection, bleeding under the skin (haematoma), scarring, and hernia.