NEW DELHI: India is carrying out more than 100 weight loss surgeries a day. Habilite Obesity Group has found in an analysis that India has seen a surge in obesity. According to Lancet study, India is the third most obese country with one in every five Indian diagnosed with such issue. As a result, bariatric surgery treatment has gained awareness and popularity.
Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkatta, Karnataka, Bangalore, Indore, Kerala, Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh are the prime preferable locations of patients for such treatment.
Dr Kapil Agrawal, senior consultant, laparoscopic and bariatric surgeon, Habilite Obesity Group, informed that morbid obesity affects five percent of the country's population and four percent patients have the comorbidities of obesity that includes Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, some cancers, gallbladder disease and gallstones, osteoarthritis, gout, breathing problems, such as sleep apnea and asthma.
Bariatric surgery is the single solution for all conditions, trust factor of patients is increasing on this procedure, due to the advancement of medical science. If we talk about the numbers of procedures performed across India on daily basis, northern region predominate the highest numbers, with only in National Capital more than 15, as patients from North India prefer to opt for surgery only in Delhi.
However, in the southern and western region, patients are getting aware and opting for this procedure for the permanent solution of obesity and other comorbidities. In the eastern region, the number is marginally less.
Dr. Agrawal states that besides Indian, there has been a large number of increase reported in medical tourism for a bariatric procedure. Foreigner patients majorly from Afghanistan, Iraq, Dubai, Africa are coming for weight Loss Surgeries in India.
“We are well equipped with world class technologies, much superior to any other developing country. We offer an advance and best service that too at very competitive price. Hence, Delhi is emerging as a hub for medical tourism in bariatric surgery also,” he reiterated.
There are four types of surgeries- sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass, mini gastric bypass, a gastric band. Depending upon the patient's condition, various obesity related health issues and their preferences, people are advised for a particular type of surgery.
Sleeve gastrectomy is the most common and preferred surgery but gastric bypass is known for its best results especially for control of diseases like long standing diabetes.
An Even mini gastric bypass is gaining popularity because of its excellent results. As far as gastric band procedure is concerned, this is a traditional procedure which is gradually becoming obsolete because of better results of other procedures. People who want to lose only 10-12 kg also opt for a gastric balloon which is a nonsurgical procedure. In this procedure, gastric balloon is placed endoscopically and the patient is discharged on the same day.