Welcome to the Bariatric Learning Center. We publish independent, unbiased news about the bariatric weight-loss surgery.
Each year, it seems the spectrum of weight-loss surgery patients grows wider. Not too long ago, this type of surgery was limited to people who were morbidly obese. These were folks who were likely to die from their obesity-related conditions. Today, weight-loss surgery is being used on just about anyone.
Bariatric surgeons are always clamoring for wider FDA approval, so they can perform weight-loss surgery on patients with lower and lower body mass index (BMI).
The question of the hour: Is weight-loss surgery safe for patients who are considered mildly obese? A new study suggests that it might be.
For the record, we are neither opponents nor supporters of bariatric weight-loss surgery. We maintain a neutral stance on the subject, for the sake of reporting. We also recommend that people pursue natural weight-loss techniques (such as healthy diet and exercise) before resorting to surgery. But, on to the recent study…
A doctor-led study shows that adjustable gastric banding is safe for patients who are mildly obese. Gastric banding is a process that reduces the usable portion of the patient’s stomach, often through the use of a specially designed silicone band. The study was led by Esteban Varela, MD, who currently performs bariatric surgery at Washington University’s School of Medicine.
For this study, Dr. Varela examined the post-surgery results of 30 patients who underwent adjustable gastric banding procedures. Of the 30, 20 were considered obese by current medical standards while the other 10 were only mildly obese. The research team closely monitored the patients for a 30-day period after their gastric banding procedures.
All of the patients were said to have fared well after their surgeries. There were no deaths reported, and only minor complications occurred. Most of the complications were found in the patients were severely obese, as opposed to those who were mildly obese.
A Valid Study on Bariatric Surgery?
This can hardly be considered a definitive study of weight-loss surgery. In our view, the study group was too small, and the observation period was not long enough to measure long-term complications. We would also like to have seen some involvement or oversight from disinterested parties — i.e., people who do not work in the bariatric surgery field.
It almost seems like the study was carefully crafted to deliver the desired results, which further supports the availability of weight-loss surgery to a wider audience. But that’s a matter of opinion.
You can decide for yourself. The entire study was published online in the journal Obesity Surgery. Just be aware that the editors of this journal are also bariatric surgeons.
