The article below described very well the Liposuction and Tummy Tuck cosmetic procedures. Cosmetic surgery is often required after significant weight loss.
Body Contouring Procedures: Liposuction And Tummy Tuck Surgery
By : Dave Stringham
Submitted 2007-10-26 14:15:07 Liposuction is a procedure that removes localized areas of fat from the abdomen, hips, buttocks, thighs, knees, calves, upper arms, cheeks, and neck. Liposculpture patients are generally looking for improved contours in their figures both in and out of clothing. Liposuction is performed with a thin metal tube called a cannula, which is inserted underneath of the skin to vacuum fat away from particular irregular contours on the body.
Liposculpture can be done with just the cannula alone, however, frequently a solution is injected under the skin into the fatty layer. This minimizes the bruising, bleeding, and postoperative discomfort that can be associated with liposuction.
This is called the tumescent liposuction technique, although the volume of solution injected determines whether it is tumescent liposuction or the "superwet technique." The newest development in liposuction is ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty (UAL), which does use solution injection, but also utilizes a cannula that emits ultrasonic waves to "melt" fat away. It is important to recognize that liposuction is not a method of weight loss, but is best considered for patients who are at or very close to their ideal body weight.
Abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck, is designed to correct a protruding abdomen resulting from weak abdominal muscles and excess skin, usually due to multiple pregnancies, prior surgery, or weight gain. Usually the abdominal musculature have been stretched and does not respond well to exercise. The goal of abdominoplasty is a narrower, flatter abdomen.
Abdominoplasty is not a substitute for weight loss. Patients on a weight loss plan should be close to their target weight before having this surgery.
The procedure is most commonly performed by making a U shape incision below one hip bone across the pubic area to the other hip bone. Loose stretched out muscles are tightened with stitches and excess skin and fat are removed. Mini-abdominoplasty tightens the lower abdominal wall resulting in a shorter scar whereas an extended abdominoplasty tightens the abdomen and sides resulting in the longer scar extending around the flanks onto the lower back. Although the recovery period is longer than that of other cosmetic procedures, the rewards are great for a patient previously concerned about a protruding abdomen.
Considering cosmetic surgery is an exciting time. You are imagining the possibilities and researching not only the procedures but who is most qualified to help you achieve your goals. You want to select a board certified plastic surgeon that possesses both technical expertise and artistic ability so that you achieve the natural look you desire. Author Resource:- Dave Stringham is the President of LookingYourBest.com an online resource for plastic surgery procedures.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Friday, September 28, 2007
Surgical Weight-Loss Patients 'Walk From Obesity'
Local patients who have undergone weight-loss surgery and their families and friends will symbolically “walk away” from a life of excessive weight gain at the fourth annual Walk From Obesity.
The three-mile local walk will begin at 9 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 29, at Winton Woods, 1024 Winton Rd., Greenhills.
Obese people are at increased risk for other illnesses, including type-2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer, osteoarthritis and respiratory problems.
Bariatric weight-loss surgery (primarily gastric bypass) reduces a patient’s stomach size to limit the amount of food and bypass a portion of the digesting system. The procedure is available to obese patients who have tried traditional weight-loss strategies and failed.
The three-mile local walk will begin at 9 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 29, at Winton Woods, 1024 Winton Rd., Greenhills.
Obese people are at increased risk for other illnesses, including type-2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer, osteoarthritis and respiratory problems.
Bariatric weight-loss surgery (primarily gastric bypass) reduces a patient’s stomach size to limit the amount of food and bypass a portion of the digesting system. The procedure is available to obese patients who have tried traditional weight-loss strategies and failed.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Obesity and diabetes type 2
Here are five facts about obesity and diabetes.
* Britain has the highest obesity rate in Europe, with one in five adults classed as obese. That could rise to one in three, according to a study recently published in the British Medical Journal.
* Britain's medical spending watchdog, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, has warned that obesity is a greater threat to the nation's health than poverty, drinking or smoking.
* Obesity is based on body mass index (BMI, calculate here), which is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by height in metres squared. A BMI of more than 30 is considered obese. More than 35 is severely obese and more than 40 is very severe.
* Some 2.1 million people have diabetes, often linked to obesity, in the UK. The World Health Organisation expects the number of sufferers worldwide to rise from 194 million to over 300 million by 2025.
* Most new cases of diabetes will be type 2, which could be prevented by lifestyle changes such as increased exercise and a healthy diet.
* Britain has the highest obesity rate in Europe, with one in five adults classed as obese. That could rise to one in three, according to a study recently published in the British Medical Journal.
* Britain's medical spending watchdog, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, has warned that obesity is a greater threat to the nation's health than poverty, drinking or smoking.
* Obesity is based on body mass index (BMI, calculate here), which is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by height in metres squared. A BMI of more than 30 is considered obese. More than 35 is severely obese and more than 40 is very severe.
* Some 2.1 million people have diabetes, often linked to obesity, in the UK. The World Health Organisation expects the number of sufferers worldwide to rise from 194 million to over 300 million by 2025.
* Most new cases of diabetes will be type 2, which could be prevented by lifestyle changes such as increased exercise and a healthy diet.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Alarming growth of obesity in Brazil
Fat Brazilians? In a body-conscious society whose gifts to global culture include the girl from Ipanema, the tanga bikini and Gisele Bündchen and other supermodels, the idea seems heretical. Yet a controversial government study released late last month confirms it: Brazil is experiencing an epidemic of obesity.
According to the report, conducted by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics and issued right as summer arrived and people began flocking to the beaches in skimpy clothing, just over 40 percent of Brazil's adult population is overweight. Overall, 1 adult in 10, or more than 10 million people, are obese, by international standards, compared with fewer than four million who were deemed to be undernourished.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva immediately disputed the findings. Since taking office two years ago this month, the left-leaning Workers' Party government that he leads has always maintained that hunger, not obesity, is Brazil's main social problem and, as a result, has made a Zero Hunger program the centerpiece of its health and public welfare agenda.
"Hunger isn't something to be measured by research," Mr. da Silva contended. "Not everyone wants to recognize that they are going hungry. They are ashamed."
But the statistics show what nutritionists and doctors regard as undeniable proof of an alarming growth of obesity since the mid-1970's, when the survey was first done in its current form. As elsewhere around the world, the main culprits, they say, are an unbalanced diet and a sedentary lifestyle, with some variants that are particularly Brazilian.
Brazilians have, for example, a pronounced sweet tooth, perhaps natural in a country that is the world's largest exporter of sugar. People routinely sprinkle sugar on naturally sweet fruits like pineapple or papaya, and it sometimes seems that half the mass of a cafezinho, the espresso coffee consumed everywhere in the country, is sugar, not liquid.
"Brazil and the United States are the countries that have the highest levels of consumption of sugar in the world, accounting for about 19 percent of calories," said Carlos Augusto Monteiro, a nutritionist at the University of São Paulo who was a consultant to the government study. "Consumption of soft drinks, for example, has grown 400 percent in the last 30 years, and we think that could play an important role in Brazil's growing fatter."
In addition to incorporating increasing amounts of fatty, processed foods in recent years, the Brazilian diet is also unusually heavy in starches and other carbohydrates. A typical luncheon plate, especially in the countryside or in poor neighborhoods, will contain not only a small piece of meat and beans for protein but also rice, potatoes, pasta, bread and cassava too.
Like people in more economically developed countries, Brazilians also lead a more sedentary life these days. Between 1940 and 2000, Brazil's population, now 175 million, went from being 80 percent rural and 20 percent urban to 80 percent urban and 20 percent rural, which has resulted in a marked decrease in physical activity.
Brazilian notions of what is considered beautiful or sexy may also be a factor in encouraging plumpness. Traditionally, the idealized feminine form here has been the "guitar-shaped body," a woman with a slender bust and waist and an ample rear end.
"American men may focus on breasts, but the Brazilian man has always wanted something to grab on to," said Constanza Pascolatto, one of the country's leading commentators on issues of esthetics, fashion and beauty. "Women were always being told, 'You have to eat or else you're going to look like a stick,' and were encouraged to be fleshy."
While that preference may still be strong, especially in rural areas and among the poor, the urban middle and upper classes seem to have succumbed to the global preference for slimness. Dr. Monteiro noted that in São Paulo there are now clinics to treat anorexia and bulimia, problems that barely existed 30 years ago but are appearing now because of the "mixed messages that are being sent" through the media about desirable body types.
The poor, who the study found are the group most likely to be overweight, receive the same messages but do not have the money to explore other options. Jose Roberto Lucena, for example, is a street vendor here who stands 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighs 231 pounds and worries about his health but argues that he is doing the best he can raising a family on wages of less than $200 a month.
"I certainly can't afford to go to a gym, and though I know that vegetables are good for me, they are very expensive," he complained. "My 5-year-old daughter is overweight too, and even after the doctor ordered her on a diet last month, it's been hard to get her to eat things like salad."
Some commentators here have suggested that Mr. da Silva's unwillingness to accept the study may stem in part from his personal history. As he never tires of reminding Brazilians and the foreign leaders he meets, he experienced hunger himself as a poor peasant child and can vividly recall the sensation of going to bed on an empty stomach.
Today, though, Mr. da Silva is one of those Brazilians who struggles to keep his weight under control. With a mixture of sympathy and amusement, the national press has chronicled his efforts to limit his consumption of barbecue, beer and buchada, a fatty tripe dish native to his home region that is the bane of nutritionists.
"The truth is that Lula's hunger has not faded away," the columnist Arnaldo Bloch speculated recently in the Rio daily O Globo. "As much as the president eats and drinks and eats and drinks, the hunger and thirst remain. It is a hunger and thirst that is ancestral, that returns to strike daily" and which he, like others who were once poor, "has never overcome."
The above article is from The New York Times.
Published by The Seoul Times
According to the report, conducted by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics and issued right as summer arrived and people began flocking to the beaches in skimpy clothing, just over 40 percent of Brazil's adult population is overweight. Overall, 1 adult in 10, or more than 10 million people, are obese, by international standards, compared with fewer than four million who were deemed to be undernourished.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva immediately disputed the findings. Since taking office two years ago this month, the left-leaning Workers' Party government that he leads has always maintained that hunger, not obesity, is Brazil's main social problem and, as a result, has made a Zero Hunger program the centerpiece of its health and public welfare agenda.
"Hunger isn't something to be measured by research," Mr. da Silva contended. "Not everyone wants to recognize that they are going hungry. They are ashamed."
But the statistics show what nutritionists and doctors regard as undeniable proof of an alarming growth of obesity since the mid-1970's, when the survey was first done in its current form. As elsewhere around the world, the main culprits, they say, are an unbalanced diet and a sedentary lifestyle, with some variants that are particularly Brazilian.
Brazilians have, for example, a pronounced sweet tooth, perhaps natural in a country that is the world's largest exporter of sugar. People routinely sprinkle sugar on naturally sweet fruits like pineapple or papaya, and it sometimes seems that half the mass of a cafezinho, the espresso coffee consumed everywhere in the country, is sugar, not liquid.
"Brazil and the United States are the countries that have the highest levels of consumption of sugar in the world, accounting for about 19 percent of calories," said Carlos Augusto Monteiro, a nutritionist at the University of São Paulo who was a consultant to the government study. "Consumption of soft drinks, for example, has grown 400 percent in the last 30 years, and we think that could play an important role in Brazil's growing fatter."
In addition to incorporating increasing amounts of fatty, processed foods in recent years, the Brazilian diet is also unusually heavy in starches and other carbohydrates. A typical luncheon plate, especially in the countryside or in poor neighborhoods, will contain not only a small piece of meat and beans for protein but also rice, potatoes, pasta, bread and cassava too.
Like people in more economically developed countries, Brazilians also lead a more sedentary life these days. Between 1940 and 2000, Brazil's population, now 175 million, went from being 80 percent rural and 20 percent urban to 80 percent urban and 20 percent rural, which has resulted in a marked decrease in physical activity.
Brazilian notions of what is considered beautiful or sexy may also be a factor in encouraging plumpness. Traditionally, the idealized feminine form here has been the "guitar-shaped body," a woman with a slender bust and waist and an ample rear end.
"American men may focus on breasts, but the Brazilian man has always wanted something to grab on to," said Constanza Pascolatto, one of the country's leading commentators on issues of esthetics, fashion and beauty. "Women were always being told, 'You have to eat or else you're going to look like a stick,' and were encouraged to be fleshy."
While that preference may still be strong, especially in rural areas and among the poor, the urban middle and upper classes seem to have succumbed to the global preference for slimness. Dr. Monteiro noted that in São Paulo there are now clinics to treat anorexia and bulimia, problems that barely existed 30 years ago but are appearing now because of the "mixed messages that are being sent" through the media about desirable body types.
The poor, who the study found are the group most likely to be overweight, receive the same messages but do not have the money to explore other options. Jose Roberto Lucena, for example, is a street vendor here who stands 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighs 231 pounds and worries about his health but argues that he is doing the best he can raising a family on wages of less than $200 a month.
"I certainly can't afford to go to a gym, and though I know that vegetables are good for me, they are very expensive," he complained. "My 5-year-old daughter is overweight too, and even after the doctor ordered her on a diet last month, it's been hard to get her to eat things like salad."
Some commentators here have suggested that Mr. da Silva's unwillingness to accept the study may stem in part from his personal history. As he never tires of reminding Brazilians and the foreign leaders he meets, he experienced hunger himself as a poor peasant child and can vividly recall the sensation of going to bed on an empty stomach.
Today, though, Mr. da Silva is one of those Brazilians who struggles to keep his weight under control. With a mixture of sympathy and amusement, the national press has chronicled his efforts to limit his consumption of barbecue, beer and buchada, a fatty tripe dish native to his home region that is the bane of nutritionists.
"The truth is that Lula's hunger has not faded away," the columnist Arnaldo Bloch speculated recently in the Rio daily O Globo. "As much as the president eats and drinks and eats and drinks, the hunger and thirst remain. It is a hunger and thirst that is ancestral, that returns to strike daily" and which he, like others who were once poor, "has never overcome."
The above article is from The New York Times.
Published by The Seoul Times
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Obesity Surgery for obese people suffering anxiety.
Extremely obese people suffering from depression or anxiety tend to lose less weight after obesity surgery than mentally healthy people, researchers reported Thursday in a study that suggests such patients could benefit from treatment beforehand.
People diagnosed with mood or anxiety disorders on average lost 81 pounds six months after gastric bypass surgery compared to their counterparts who shed 86 pounds. Although both groups lost significant weight after surgery, people without mental health problems did slightly better.
The federally funded research was presented at a meeting of bariatric surgeons in San Diego Thursday. Researchers plan to follow patients for up to two years to determine if there’s a weight difference over time.
Many hospitals and insurers require surgery candidates to go through a psychological evaluation before obesity surgery to make sure they are mentally fit for the operation and the lifestyle change afterward. Depressed people aren’t automatically disqualified for surgery, but those who are suicidal or abusing drugs and alcohol are usually ruled out.
How depression and other mental health disorders are handled before obesity surgery vary widely by medical center.
In the new study, Pittsburgh researchers interviewed 207 surgery candidates and found two-thirds had a history of depression, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress syndrome or panic attacks. The vast majority were women with an average body-mass index of 51. A person with a BMI of over 40 is considered morbidly obese.
After adjusting for age, gender and race, researchers compared weight loss six months after surgery. Patients with a history of depression on average weighed 322 pounds before surgery and 241 afterward. Those with no mental health problems weighed 303 pounds before the operation and 217 pounds afterward.
Gastric bypass, or stomach-stapling surgery, is the most common obesity operation performed in the United States with about 177,600 people undergoing the procedure last year. Federal guidelines say a person should be at least 100 pounds overweight and should have tried traditional weight-loss means before choosing surgery.
Gastric bypass involves reducing the size of the stomach and bypassing part of the small intestine, where digestion occurs. People eat less and absorb fewer calories as a result.
People diagnosed with mood or anxiety disorders on average lost 81 pounds six months after gastric bypass surgery compared to their counterparts who shed 86 pounds. Although both groups lost significant weight after surgery, people without mental health problems did slightly better.
The federally funded research was presented at a meeting of bariatric surgeons in San Diego Thursday. Researchers plan to follow patients for up to two years to determine if there’s a weight difference over time.
Many hospitals and insurers require surgery candidates to go through a psychological evaluation before obesity surgery to make sure they are mentally fit for the operation and the lifestyle change afterward. Depressed people aren’t automatically disqualified for surgery, but those who are suicidal or abusing drugs and alcohol are usually ruled out.
How depression and other mental health disorders are handled before obesity surgery vary widely by medical center.
In the new study, Pittsburgh researchers interviewed 207 surgery candidates and found two-thirds had a history of depression, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress syndrome or panic attacks. The vast majority were women with an average body-mass index of 51. A person with a BMI of over 40 is considered morbidly obese.
After adjusting for age, gender and race, researchers compared weight loss six months after surgery. Patients with a history of depression on average weighed 322 pounds before surgery and 241 afterward. Those with no mental health problems weighed 303 pounds before the operation and 217 pounds afterward.
Gastric bypass, or stomach-stapling surgery, is the most common obesity operation performed in the United States with about 177,600 people undergoing the procedure last year. Federal guidelines say a person should be at least 100 pounds overweight and should have tried traditional weight-loss means before choosing surgery.
Gastric bypass involves reducing the size of the stomach and bypassing part of the small intestine, where digestion occurs. People eat less and absorb fewer calories as a result.
Monday, May 14, 2007
XXL Children in need of obesity surgery
The number of teenagers who are overweight is increasing yearly
A combination of bad diets and a lack of exercise mean reenagers are growing overweight or morbidly obese.
Their increase in size will inevitably lead to an early death from illnesses like Type II Diabetes and Heart Disease.
One controversial option is weight loss surgery. Gastric Bypass will solve Diabetes type II wirhin a short period after surgery. Controversial, because many countries do not consider weight loss surgery in teens.
But in the fight against childhood obesity the National Institute for Clinical Excellence proposes lowering that age to 14.
A combination of bad diets and a lack of exercise mean reenagers are growing overweight or morbidly obese.
Their increase in size will inevitably lead to an early death from illnesses like Type II Diabetes and Heart Disease.
One controversial option is weight loss surgery. Gastric Bypass will solve Diabetes type II wirhin a short period after surgery. Controversial, because many countries do not consider weight loss surgery in teens.
But in the fight against childhood obesity the National Institute for Clinical Excellence proposes lowering that age to 14.
Monday, April 30, 2007
No coverage for medical treatment when obese..
‘Too Fat’ Patients Denied NHS Operations
The NHS (National Health Service) in Britain is under such a strain trying to meet the health care needs of everyone that people with bad habits are being denied care ... bad habits such as being overweight.....
"Quote"
Patients are being denied operations on the NHS simply because they are overweight or smoke, a Sky News survey has found.
Nine primary care trusts have a specific policy to refuse joint replacements to obese patients. And four will not consider orthopaedic surgery if patients smoke.
Despite living on a pension a patient has taken out an £8000 loan to pay for surgery abroad!
Read more at:
http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1263268,00.html
The NHS (National Health Service) in Britain is under such a strain trying to meet the health care needs of everyone that people with bad habits are being denied care ... bad habits such as being overweight.....
"Quote"
Patients are being denied operations on the NHS simply because they are overweight or smoke, a Sky News survey has found.
Nine primary care trusts have a specific policy to refuse joint replacements to obese patients. And four will not consider orthopaedic surgery if patients smoke.
Despite living on a pension a patient has taken out an £8000 loan to pay for surgery abroad!
Read more at:
http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1263268,00.html
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Example of a positive outcome from obersity surgery
I liked traveling by plane, but as I got older and my weight crept ever higher, travel was more draining and I felt flying was literally "brutal". I got big enough that I had to fly first class to get a wide enough seat, and even then I needed a seat belt extension, and it was usually still too snug.
Well, two years after my gastric bypass, I travelled again in the back of the plane and could get into the seat!
Being able to fit in a cramped airliner may not sound all that great, but when you can't do so, it makes a big difference.
Just one postive outcome of obesity surgery. What about you? Some positive outcome you like to share?
Well, two years after my gastric bypass, I travelled again in the back of the plane and could get into the seat!
Being able to fit in a cramped airliner may not sound all that great, but when you can't do so, it makes a big difference.
Just one postive outcome of obesity surgery. What about you? Some positive outcome you like to share?
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Obesity Surgery in Brazil - Gringoes in Brazil
Article from Gringoes http://www.gringoes.com/articles.asp?ID_Noticia=1642
Obesity Surgery in Brazil
While Brazilians are renown for their beautiful figures, recent studies have shown that the number of overweight people in this country is increasing. In this interview we speak to Dr. Roberto Rizzi, a specialist in Obesity weight loss surgery.
1) Can you describe in lay man‘s terms what is involved with this type of weight loss surgery?
Answer:There are several procedures. I prefer the Gastric Bypass procedure because it's safer and has fewer complications than other available weight-loss surgeries. Gastric bypass, which changes the anatomy of the digestive system to limit the amount of food a person can eat and digest. It is also the favored bariatric surgery in the United States.
2) How common is this kind of surgery in Brazil?
Answer:Brazil is the second country in the world that most performs Gastric Bypass Obesity Surgeries (USA is in the first place).
3) Who are the most common candidates for this kind of surgery?
Answer:Generally speaking, gastric bypass surgery is available for all people (male, female, young and old) who are unable to achieve or maintain a healthy weight through diet and exercise, are severely overweight, and who have health problems as a result. Gastric bypass may be considered if the Body Mass Index (BMI) is over 35. BMI is calculated based on weight and height. The BMI can be calculated on our website www.robertorizzi.com
4) How does Brazil compare to other countries in terms of number of people overweight?
Answer:Obesity is a serious health epidemic in America. It targets one in four Americans. It is estimated that more than 90 million Americans are obese, a number that is predicted to climb to 120 million in the next few years. But it is not only in USA. Obesity is now a worldwide epidemic! Obesity in Brazil is very much on the increase as well, because of the increased availability of (fast) food (gaining energy) and more hours in front of TV or computer (using less energy).
5) There have been well publicized cases of models and teenager girls dying from anorexia in Brazil in recent months, is it common for people to die from obesity, or obesity related illness?
Answer:Anorexia is a different disease. It is a problem of being under weight. It is not an epidemic.Obesity is a serious, chronic disease that is known to reduce life span, increase disability and lead to many serious illnesses including diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
6) It is common for foreigners to come to Brazil for plastic surgery, but are they also coming for this type of procedure?
Answer:The reputation Brazil achieved in Plastic Surgery extends also to Obesity Surgery. Brazil offers modern, affordable and safe medical Obesity Surgery. The high quality, training and specialization of surgeons and medical staff contribute to Brazil being a worldwide reference in almost all medical procedures. São Paulo is considered to have some of the worlds best equipped hospitals and highly skilled physicians.
7) Is there a significant cost difference here, or any other advantage?
Answer:Cost of obesity surgery is significantly lower in Brazil than in many other countries. Also the quality and reputation of surgeons in Brazil makes many foreigners decide to come to Brazil for this procedure. I have patients from USA, China, Mozambique and other countries for these reasons.
8) What preparation is involved and what is the recovery period?
Answer:Surgical candidates go through an extensive screening process. Not everyone who meets the criteria for gastric bypass is psychologically or medically ready for the surgical procedure. My team of professionals, including a physician, dietitian and psychologist evaluate whether the surgery is appropriate.I perform this surgical procedure laparoscopically in Brazil. Only small incisions are required which significantly decrease post operative discomfort and result in quick recovery. The hospital stay is as short as 2-3 days. We ask patients from overseas to stay two weeks before returning home.
9) Is it a permanent solution or does the patient have to take care not to regain weight?
Answer:The patient needs to make changes to the diet after undergoing weight loss surgery. The stomach will be reduced to a much smaller size and, as a result, the amount of food the patient can eat is very limited. In order to ensure good nutrition and health, the patient must pay very close attention to the types of food he/she eats. Foods that were well tolerated prior to surgery for obesity may cause discomfort afterwards. Our nutritionist discusses the diet with the patient before and after surgery so the patient can prepare herself/himself to make intelligent and healthy food choices.The Gastric Bypass has been proven in numerous studies to result in durable weight loss (between 60 and 70%) and improvement in weight-related medical illnesses (such as diabetes). Half the weight loss often occurs during the first 6 months after surgery; the weight loss will peak after 18-24 months. The Gastric Bypass has resulted in marked improvements in quality of life.
Forums for further questions and answers are available in both sites below.http://www.robertorizzi.com/(English language site)http://www.francoerizzi.com.br/
Obesity Surgery in Brazil
While Brazilians are renown for their beautiful figures, recent studies have shown that the number of overweight people in this country is increasing. In this interview we speak to Dr. Roberto Rizzi, a specialist in Obesity weight loss surgery.
1) Can you describe in lay man‘s terms what is involved with this type of weight loss surgery?
Answer:There are several procedures. I prefer the Gastric Bypass procedure because it's safer and has fewer complications than other available weight-loss surgeries. Gastric bypass, which changes the anatomy of the digestive system to limit the amount of food a person can eat and digest. It is also the favored bariatric surgery in the United States.
2) How common is this kind of surgery in Brazil?
Answer:Brazil is the second country in the world that most performs Gastric Bypass Obesity Surgeries (USA is in the first place).
3) Who are the most common candidates for this kind of surgery?
Answer:Generally speaking, gastric bypass surgery is available for all people (male, female, young and old) who are unable to achieve or maintain a healthy weight through diet and exercise, are severely overweight, and who have health problems as a result. Gastric bypass may be considered if the Body Mass Index (BMI) is over 35. BMI is calculated based on weight and height. The BMI can be calculated on our website www.robertorizzi.com
4) How does Brazil compare to other countries in terms of number of people overweight?
Answer:Obesity is a serious health epidemic in America. It targets one in four Americans. It is estimated that more than 90 million Americans are obese, a number that is predicted to climb to 120 million in the next few years. But it is not only in USA. Obesity is now a worldwide epidemic! Obesity in Brazil is very much on the increase as well, because of the increased availability of (fast) food (gaining energy) and more hours in front of TV or computer (using less energy).
5) There have been well publicized cases of models and teenager girls dying from anorexia in Brazil in recent months, is it common for people to die from obesity, or obesity related illness?
Answer:Anorexia is a different disease. It is a problem of being under weight. It is not an epidemic.Obesity is a serious, chronic disease that is known to reduce life span, increase disability and lead to many serious illnesses including diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
6) It is common for foreigners to come to Brazil for plastic surgery, but are they also coming for this type of procedure?
Answer:The reputation Brazil achieved in Plastic Surgery extends also to Obesity Surgery. Brazil offers modern, affordable and safe medical Obesity Surgery. The high quality, training and specialization of surgeons and medical staff contribute to Brazil being a worldwide reference in almost all medical procedures. São Paulo is considered to have some of the worlds best equipped hospitals and highly skilled physicians.
7) Is there a significant cost difference here, or any other advantage?
Answer:Cost of obesity surgery is significantly lower in Brazil than in many other countries. Also the quality and reputation of surgeons in Brazil makes many foreigners decide to come to Brazil for this procedure. I have patients from USA, China, Mozambique and other countries for these reasons.
8) What preparation is involved and what is the recovery period?
Answer:Surgical candidates go through an extensive screening process. Not everyone who meets the criteria for gastric bypass is psychologically or medically ready for the surgical procedure. My team of professionals, including a physician, dietitian and psychologist evaluate whether the surgery is appropriate.I perform this surgical procedure laparoscopically in Brazil. Only small incisions are required which significantly decrease post operative discomfort and result in quick recovery. The hospital stay is as short as 2-3 days. We ask patients from overseas to stay two weeks before returning home.
9) Is it a permanent solution or does the patient have to take care not to regain weight?
Answer:The patient needs to make changes to the diet after undergoing weight loss surgery. The stomach will be reduced to a much smaller size and, as a result, the amount of food the patient can eat is very limited. In order to ensure good nutrition and health, the patient must pay very close attention to the types of food he/she eats. Foods that were well tolerated prior to surgery for obesity may cause discomfort afterwards. Our nutritionist discusses the diet with the patient before and after surgery so the patient can prepare herself/himself to make intelligent and healthy food choices.The Gastric Bypass has been proven in numerous studies to result in durable weight loss (between 60 and 70%) and improvement in weight-related medical illnesses (such as diabetes). Half the weight loss often occurs during the first 6 months after surgery; the weight loss will peak after 18-24 months. The Gastric Bypass has resulted in marked improvements in quality of life.
Forums for further questions and answers are available in both sites below.http://www.robertorizzi.com/(English language site)http://www.francoerizzi.com.br/
Friday, February 23, 2007
Obesity surgery in Brazil
Brazil offer one of the most modern, cost-efficient and safe medical obesity and weight reduction surgery procedures available (this is also valid for esthetical and reconstructive plastic surgery).
The high quality, training and specialization of doctors and medical team contribute to Brazil being a worldwide reference in almost all medical procedures. Today São Paulo is considered to have some of the worlds best equipped hospitals, advanced evaluation procedures and highly skilled physicians.
Brazil is the second country in the world that most performs Gastric Bypass Obesity Surgery (USA is the first). The popularity Brazil achieved in this medical specialty can be explained by the high quality of the service and its lower cost compared to other countries.
The high quality, training and specialization of doctors and medical team contribute to Brazil being a worldwide reference in almost all medical procedures. Today São Paulo is considered to have some of the worlds best equipped hospitals, advanced evaluation procedures and highly skilled physicians.
Brazil is the second country in the world that most performs Gastric Bypass Obesity Surgery (USA is the first). The popularity Brazil achieved in this medical specialty can be explained by the high quality of the service and its lower cost compared to other countries.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)