Obesity today is recognized as a health problem of epidemic proportions. Obesity refers to a spectrum of problems of excess weight ranging from mild overweight to the morbidly obese. Patients with morbid obesity do not respond to medical means of weight loss. Efforts to treat morbid obesity through controlled diets, behavior modification and exercise programs are only temporarily successful with the patient invariably regaining even more weight than the amount lost. Obesity surgery is the only method by which long-term weight loss can be achieved in these patients. Seven to nine percent (7-9%) people in India are overweight, of which 20 - 25% are morbidly obese which amounts to a staggering 2 - 2.5 million people. Incidence of child hood obesity is on the rise due to changing lifestyles. These people are more likely to develop obesity related complications at an earlier age. If not addressed today this problem is likely to compound imposing heavily on medical resources.

Surgical procedures for obesity can now be safely performed by endoscopic or laparoscopic approach. These morbid patients stand to benefit tremendously by laparoscopic surgery decreasing the hospital stay, minimizing pain and an early return to activity. Laparoscopic gastric banding has emerged as a highly popular and successful surgery for morbid obesity. A biocompatible, silicon band is placed around the stomach just below the food pipe creating a 30ml pouch (~ 2 table spoonful). The patient feels full after just two bites of food thus decreasing the intake and resulting in the weight loss. The procedure is safe, simple and reversible. It can be done as a short stay procedure (hospitalization for 24 to 48 hours).

It is a very patient friendly procedure and has no cut on the abdominal wall hence an excellent cosmetic result (only few tiny puncture marks), very little pain is caused by the surgery and patient can resume his or her work within few days after surgery.

AILS Mumbai has been gearing upto this challenge since two years.

• Obesity and Morbid Obesity
• OBESE Body Mass Index (BM!) of 30 or greater.
• (BMI=kg!m2)
• MORBIDLYOBESE Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or greater (Rough equivalent to 45 kg. over your ideal body weight).

• 45 kg. or more above ideal body weight or a BMI OF 40 or greater
• BMI of 35 or greater with one or more obesity related health conditions.

• History or documented dietary weight loss attempts Lifelong commitment to follow-up care and extensive dietary, exercise and medical guidelines.
• Psychological evaluation.

• Type II Diabetes
• High Blood pressure / heart disease
• Osteoarthritis of weight bearing joints
• Sleep apnea / respiratory problems
• Gastro esophageal reflux / Heartburn
• Depression
• Infertility / menstrual irregularities
• Skin breakdown
• Swollen legs / skin ulcers
• Urinary stress incontinence
• Extremity Venous stasis
• Dyslipidemia (lipid metabolism abnormalities)
• Pulmonary embolus

• The Esophagus
• The Stomach
• The Pylorus
• The Duodenum
• The Jejunum
• The Ileum
• The Large Intestine

Restrictive and Malabsorptive Procedures. There are two basic mechanisms of weight loss surgery.

• Restrictive procedures decrease food intake by creating a small upper stomach pouch to limit food intake
• Malabsorptive procedures alter digestion, thus causing the food to be properly digested and completely absorbed.
• There are several procedures that combine the restrictive and malabsorptive mechanisms of weight loss surgery.

Conditions and benefits :

• Conditions of Bariatric Surgery (Obesity Surgery)
• Benefits of Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Definitions of Weight Loss Surgery
• Effects of Morbid Obesity
• FAQs-Morbid Obesity
• Gastric Bypass vs. Lap Band
• Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgery (Minimal Access Surgery For Obesity)
• Laparoscopic Biliopancreatic Diversion (Scopinaro procedure) (BPD)
• Laparoscopic Surgery and Weight Loss
• Morbid Obesity
• Non-Surgical Treatment of Morbid Obesity
• Restrictive Procedures
• Side Effects Adjustable Gastric Banding
• Side Effects Gastric Bypass
• Stomach Band
• new Stomaphyx for gastric bypass
• Surgical Treatment of Morbid Obesity
• Weight Loss Surgery Statistics
• Obesity Causes
• Why do you fall prey to obesity?