Metabolic Surgery-Boon for Diabetics: Dr Amt Garg

By Samachar Vishesh News

Chandigarh 16^th November:- You need to watch the fat of your chubby child as childhood obesity leads to an increased risk of diabetes in youthful years thereby causing multiple problems.

Dr Amit Garg, Chief Consultant, Bariatric & Metabolic Surgery, Fortis Hospital, Mohali said while interacting with media persons, here today at patiala on causes, prevention and treatment of diabetes.

He said that diabetes and obesity is catching the people young in Punjab. A national level nutrition survey has revealed that almost one-eighth of Punjab’s youngsters are suffering from the two ailments.

Dr. Amit is the first one in North India to perform Loop duodenojejunal bypass with sleeve gastrectomy for Type 2 diabetes. He has more than 1000 surgeries and has many international publications to his credit.

Speaking of first line treatment for type 2 diabetes he said that it includes losing excess weight, eating a healthful diet, engaging in regular exercise and taking requisite medications. If these drugs don’t work, a person needs to take insulin. Often these traditional treatments for diabetes do not work and patients run the risks of long term complications. Even with good medical control of diabetes, some patients still develop cardiovascular complications, diabetic foot, neuropathy and nephropathy, retinopathy and other complications.

Sharing new line of treatment for patient suffering from Type 2 Diabetes he said that metabolic surgery comes as most effective solution to the problem.

According to the recent international guidelines metabolic surgery is recommended as first line of treatment for Type 2 Diabetes in patients with body mass index of more than 37.5Kg/m2 aimed at bringing it to a point where one has normal blood sugar levels and does not need diabetes medication.

Answering the query on the ways metabolic surgery causes diabetes remission, Dr Amit Garg shared that after metabolic surgery, remission is observed in the days to weeks before any substantial weight loss has occurred.  Metabolic surgery cures Type 2 diabetes by bringing calorie restrictions and hormonal changes. These gastro intestinal hormonal changes cause control of diabetes within few days of the surgery.

Dr Amt Garg said that increasing evidence shows that metabolic surgery can help reduce a person’s risk for a number of serious diseases like diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, arthritis and cancer.

Metabolic surgery is an ideal approach aimed at treating diabetes in non obese patients too.

Dr Garg also added that all surgeries are performed laparoscopically, with small incisions that are closed with only a few stitches, resulting in fewer complications and a much quicker recovery time for patients.  The health and quality of life benefits these patients receive from Metabolic surgery and other weight loss methods are tremendous as patients become more mobile, feel better about themselves, have less depression and have better family, social and work lives.

Dr Amit Garg also shared testimonials of some of his patients who have undergone metabolic surgery for treatment of diabetes.