What is weight loss Surgery?
Weight loss Surgery, aka Bariatric Surgery, is a surgical procedure done on the stomach and/or intestines to help a morbidly, or severely, obese person lose weight.
Weight loss surgery at Min-Sheng General Hospital typically consists of minimally invasive laparoscopic procedures. Each type of procedure has its pros and cons, and is chosen after a careful review of the patient’s case.
Laparoscopic Surgery is abdominal surgery that is performed through small incisions using tiny video equipment to allow the surgeon to see what he is doing on the inside. The abdominal cavity is inflated with gas in order to provide working space. Small surgical tools pass through ports placed through the incisions, and the procedure is performed internally in the same way as those done through an open incision.
The benefits of Laparoscopic Surgery stem from the lack of large, painful incisions. Patients can resume their usual activities within a few days, and that in turn, makes it possible to avoid most problems linked to long recoveries with restricted mobility.
However, Laparoscopic surgery is still a surgical procedure, and involves the potential risk for complications after surgery (e.g. internal bleeding, infection, reaction to anesthesia…). Complications rates are generally very low (see Bariatric Center at Min-sheng), but can occur even when everything is done correctly. Surgery is recommended when it is the better choice, after a thorough review of individual cases by the doctor.