There has been a buzz recently as to whether or not bariatric surgery can eliminate some of the symptom of diabetes. There was a study led by Professor Henry Buchwald, head of the Department of of Surgery at the University of Minnesota. In this study, they observed nearly 135,000 patients who had type 2 diabetes and had received one of the two forms of bariatric surgery. After two years post-surgery, they found that 78% of the patients had experienced a complete elimination of diabetes symptoms, or have reported a significant improvement in their condition.
By losing weight with bariatric surgery, the issue of obesity is taken out of the equation and the body can more efficiently produce and utilize insulin to maintain the blood sugar level and to prevent kidney failure. Bariatric surgery is weight loss surgery that is only recommended for diabetes patients who are extremely obese and have tried and failed to lose the weight by other means.
There have been long-term studies that show that bariatric surgery can result in significant weight-loss and in turn, a recovery from diabetes. These surgeries also improve cardiovascular health and diminish the risk of mortality from 40% down to 23%. According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, bariatric surgery should only be recommended to patients who have a body mass index of around 35 to 40.
Some heath care professionals seem leery about the finding of the study and want to remind patients that with any surgery, there can be serious risks. Patients should consider bariatric surgery as a last resort and they should remember that they will still need to exercise and maintain a healthy balanced diet in order to keep their diabetes symptoms at bay.
If you have diabetes and you underwent bariatric surgery that went wrong, you could seek restitution for your injuries if medical negligence was involved. Call an Atlanta medical malpractice attorney from The Tolson Firm, LLC today!