Can type 2 diabetes be treated with metabolic surgery

When medicine, a healthy diet, and lifestyle modifications fail to keep diabetes under control, many patients tends to be treated with metabolic surgery for diabetes. In Pakistan, it is arguably the most successful type 2 diabetes treated with metabolic surgery today, and it can save the lives of many patients.

About Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic metabolic condition in which the body does not create enough insulin or uses the insulin it makes adequately. Insulin resistance is the term for this disorder.

This resistance, if left untreated, results in elevated blood glucose or sugar levels, which can harm many tissues and organs, including the kidneys, heart, and eyes.

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic illness in which the body’s ability to produce insulin deteriorates over time. This increases the need for medicine, while persistent or deteriorating glycemic control raises the risk of diabetic complications such as heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, eye damage, and blindness.

Type 2 diabetes is linked to several cardio-metabolic diseases, including:

• Obesity
• High blood pressure
• Increased blood cholesterol and triglycerides (dyslipidemia)

Although the underlying causes of type 2 diabetes are unknown, various risk factors have been discovered, including obesity, food, lack of physical activity, advanced age, insulin resistance, diabetes in the family, and ethnicity.

Metabolic surgery for diabetes

Surgical treatments performed to treat metabolic illnesses, particularly type 2 diabetes, are referred to as diabetes to be treated with metabolic surgery.

Obesity, physical inactivity, advancing age, and heredity all contribute to metabolic syndrome, which is a collection of metabolic problems that tend to occur together. For example, high blood sugar (diabetes), high blood pressure (hypertension), and high blood cholesterol and lipids (dyslipidemia), all of which can lead to stroke and heart diseases, are considerably increased by metabolic syndrome.

Diabetes is a medical illness in which blood glucose levels remain abnormally high for an extended period of time. One of the most important causes in the onset of diabetes is obesity.

Who should go for metabolic surgery for diabetes?

In Pakistan, one out of every three diabetics is unaware of their condition. In addition, one out of every three diabetics who are aware of their diabetes has inadequate control of their condition. Blood glucose levels that are relatively high because long-term damage to the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart, and peripheral vascular system. As a result, blindness, kidney failure, amputation, heart attack, and stroke are all possible outcomes.

Diet and exercise remain the cornerstones to control diabetes. On the other hand, many patients struggle to reach and maintain a healthy weight, which can result in poor blood sugar control despite the use of various oral drugs and insulin injections.

All people with diabetes who are poorly controlled, especially those who are overweight or obese, should consider undergoing metabolic surgery for diabetes. We normally utilize a Body Mass Index (BMI) of greater than 27 kg/m2 as a guideline for Asian patients.

Patients with diabetes who do not want to take long-term medication and would rather have a surgical operation to reverse their condition can explore metabolic surgery for diabetes.

If you’re interested in having metabolic surgery for diabetes, you’ll need to go through a series of tests to see if you’re a candidate. To live a healthier lifestyle, you must also be willing to make long-term adjustments.

Types of metabolic surgery for diabetes

The more common metabolic surgery for diabetes are laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and laparoscopic gastric bypass. These are keyhole operations that are minimally invasive and similar to the weight loss procedures that are commonly performed on obese people.

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy

This is a keyhole surgery that transforms the stomach into a long, narrow tube the size and shape of a banana. It restricts the portion of food the patient can eat while also enhancing the influence of gut hormones in lowering blood sugar levels.

Laparoscopic Gastric bypass

This is a keyhole surgical operation that forms a small egg-shaped pouch in the upper stomach, which is then attached in a “Y” configuration to the lower part of the small intestine. This bypass diverts food, which is only absorbed in a small section of the intestines.

Benefits of metabolic surgery for diabetes

Diabetes type 2 can be treated with metabolic surgery can benefit patients with diabetes control and weight loss in the following ways:

• Induce a diabetic “remission,” in which blood sugar levels return to normal without the use of medication.
• Or generate a considerable “improvement” in blood glucose management, implying that blood sugar levels can be better controlled with fewer medications.
• Improve metabolic conditions include hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and sleep apnea.
• Cancer incidence will be reduced.
• Increase the chances of long-term survival

Metabolic surgery for diabetes leads to long-term weight loss that is large and sustainable. After 18 to 24 months, the majority of patients would have lost 70 to 80 percent of their excess weight.

Furthermore, these actions have a complex adaptive effect on our gastrointestinal hormones, which play a critical role in blood glucose management. As a result, metabolic surgery for diabetes offers a secondary benefit in terms of diabetes control in addition to weight loss.

Patients who had metabolic surgery for diabetes had superior improvements in quality of life and general health than those who just received medication, according to a recent large, randomized experiment with long-term follow-ups comparing medicinal therapy with bariatric surgery. One-third of surgery patients experienced complete remission of their diabetes, meaning their blood sugars returned to normal and no longer needed medication.

According to the findings of various medical investigations, metabolic surgery for diabetes is a highly effective and long-lasting treatment for type 2 diabetes. Other metabolic issues, such as hypertension and high cholesterol levels, saw similar improvements. In addition, there were no life-threatening complications or deaths as a result of the surgery.

Medical consequences associated with diabetes, such as kidney failure, diabetic eye disease, and vascular issues, can be avoided with metabolic surgery for diabetes. This type of surgery has also been demonstrated to successfully prevent diabetes in obese patients who are at a higher risk of developing the disease due to their obesity.

Preparation for metabolic surgery for diabetes

You will get a thorough consultation to determine which procedure is best for you. To make sure you’re ready for surgery, you’ll have blood tests, an abdominal ultrasound, and a gastroscopy. Your expert metabolic surgeon will oversee a multidisciplinary team of dieticians, physiotherapists, and other medical experts to ensure that any perioperative medical issues are addressed.

Recovery period for metabolic surgery for diabetes

The procedure takes roughly 2 hours and is conducted under general anesthesia. For a few days, you’ll be on a liquid diet before moving on to soft foods. The majority of patients will spend 3–5 days in the hospital. You will be able to move around the day after surgery, and most patients will be able to resume routine activities and exercise in approximately two weeks.

ALSA Pakistan approach to metabolic surgery for diabetes 

At ALSA Pakistan, we use both medical and surgical approaches to treat Type 2 diabetes. These procedures are especially beneficial for people who have trouble controlling their blood sugar despite medication, dietary adjustments, and lifestyle changes.

Unlike bariatric surgery, metabolic surgery for diabetes focuses on preventing and treating metabolic diseases rather than merely weight loss. Surgical procedures for diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome are all included in metabolic surgery for diabetes. It may also include weight-loss surgery if it has a major impact on a patient’s quality of life.

ALSA Pakistan is a pioneer in the field, having developed treatments that have helped patients safely and effectively reduce weight and manage their Type 2 diabetes treated with metabolic surgery. Individuals interested in surgery visit with surgeons directly to discuss their health objectives and learn more about the procedures available.