Surgery for Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) accounts for nearly 95 percent of all cases of this disease. The main cause of T2DM is obesity, and the alarming rise in the incidence of this disease has been directly associated with increase in the rates of obesity. The condition may lead to a variety of serious ailments, and premature death from T2DM is increased by as much as 80 percent, while life expectancy may be cut down by 12 to 14 years.

T2DM is considered as a progressive and chronic disease because it often worsens with time. Metabolic and bariatric surgery has shown improvement in the condition of nearly all patients suffering from type 2 diabetes. Dr. Wiljon Beltre provides weight loss surgeries to address diabetes for his patients in Orlando, Tampa, Maitland, Central Florida, and surrounding locations.

Improvement Rates

Researchers, bariatric surgeons as well as patients have consistently reported improvement in the patient’s diabetic state following bariatric procedures. In an extensive study of bariatric surgical procedures performed in more than 135,000 patients, it was found that type 2 diabetes was impacted in the following ways. Nearly 90 percent of the patients showed improvement by way of:

• Reduced blood sugar levels
• Reduction in the type and dosage of medication needed
• Improvement in diabetes related health problems

Bariatric surgery caused type 2 diabetes to go into remission in 78 percent of the patients by:

• Lowering their blood sugar normal levels
• Eliminating the need for medications
• General health improvements

The surgery also caused the improvement or remission of type 2 diabetes to last for years.

Risk-Benefit Analysis

Each year millions of people around the world die from the effects of type 2 diabetes. However, with the advancements in bariatric surgery, it is now possible to save the lives of many of the patients and provide them an improved quality of life and health. Although bariatric procedures do involve a certain degree of risk, just like any other surgery, but the long-term risks of continued diabetes will typically outweigh the risks of surgery.

However, the risks in each case should be individually evaluated in the context of the severity of diabetes, other obesity related health concerns of the patient, and the general health condition of the patient to undergo surgery.

Position Statement of the IDF

The International Diabetes Foundation (IDF) released a position statement in 2011, calling for bariatric surgery to be considered as an early intervention in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Some of the salient points recognized in the document include:

• In addition to behavioral and medical treatments, bariatric surgeries constitute a powerful option to ameliorate diabetes in patients affected by severe obesity.
• Bariatric surgery is an appropriate treatment for people with T2DM and obesity not achieving recommended treatment targets with medical therapies.
• Surgery should be an accepted option in people who have T2DM and a BMI of 35 or more.
• The risk for complications and death with bariatric surgery is low and similar to that of well-accepted procedures such as gallbladder surgery.

Accomplished bariatric surgeon Dr. Beltre receives patients from Orlando, Tampa, Maitland, Central Florida, and nearby areas for weight loss surgeries. Important Note: If the weight is regained, diabetes and other conditions could return.

To find out more about the procedures & treatments performed by Orlando Bariatric Surgeon, Dr. Wiljon Beltre, at The Center for Metabolic and Obesity Surgery Call 321-499-6505 or Click Here to Schedule a Consultation.

Please note: If the weight is regained, conditions could return.