A 52-year-old woman weighing 200 kg, who underwent a six-hour lifesaving bariatric surgery at a hospital here has lost 30 kg and is currently recuperating well, the hospital said on Wednesday.
It took almost five hours for a team of six doctors to complete the challenging operation and doctors from pulmonology, cardiology, endocrinology and anaesthesia ensured that the surgery went off smoothly in December last year according to IANS.
Dr Randeep Wadhawan, Director - Bariatric and GI Surgery at Fortis Hospital located in Vasant Kunj here, told reporters that specialised operation tables and equipment had to be arranged in the hospital.
"Reaching the point of incursion under the layers of fat was a challenge. Besides, the time management was essential as the anaesthetic administered to the patient was the same that would have been administered to a lean patient," he said.
A resident of Delhi, Anju Chowdhary was facing difficulty in walking and breathing. "Her body mass index that normally should be less than 30 was above 75, which is huge," said Wadhawan.
She also had hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes mellitus besides depression due to her health issues, the doctor said.
"I had lost hope. Every time I tried to lose weight by starting radical lifestyle changes, I used to gain more weight. I was in pain physically and emotionally...I hardly used to socialise," Anju said.
"I am feeling motivated now to lose 100 kgs as assured by the doctors, but it will take me nearly 18 months," she added.
According to a report by the Hindustan Times, soon after the surgery, she patient was put onto a ventilator and was put on oxygen support. This continued for a week after she was discharged. The hospital discharged her five days after the surgery on December 12.
“Once the operation was conducted we noticed that the patient’s body was responding well,” Wadhawan told Hindustan Times.
“Movement became possible and easier. The patient was feeling lighter. Had we not conducted the surgery, it could have left the patient bed ridden for life. Currently we look at her being able to lose 100 kilos in the next 18 months and lead a healthier life,” he added.
The patient described the trouble she had endured due to her weight. “The more I tried to lose weight, the more I seemed to gain. I couldn’t move and was confined within the four walls of room. Finally, when the decision to undergo bariatric surgery was taken, I felt a ray of hope. Now, that I have been given a second chance, I will live healthy and continue losing weight.”
There were 650 million adults who were found obese worldwide, while more than 1.9 billion people were found overweight, as per a World Health Organisation (2016) report according to IANS.
According to the World Obesity Federation 2017 data, the obesity level in India is set to jump to around 5 per cent from 3.7 per cent by 2025.