Obesity and Metabolic Surgery Center at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals Delhi, India

Obesity is no longer just a lifestyle or cosmetic condition. It is now globally recognised as a disease itself. It is a disease that not only predisposes individuals significantly to a range of other diseases (like Type II Diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, asthma, COPD, sleep apnoea, acid reflux, gall stones, infertility, impotency, and many cancers amongst others), but also significantly reduces the life span of individuals suffering from it.

We are going through an obesity and diabetes pandemic, unprecedented in the history of the world. In most of the western countries, between 50-80% of the population is either overweight or obese. India is already the diabetes capital of the world and the prevalence of obesity is rising very rapidly.

Surgery for obesity and metabolic conditions (like type 2 diabetes mellitus, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease etc.), also known as bariatric and metabolic surgery, has grown rapidly in most western countries over the last two decades as a safe and effective treatment for patients with severe obesity and/or uncontrolled diabetes mellitus. This type of surgery is performed laparoscopically or robotically using 5-6 small key-holes, which are hardly visible.

  Hospital stay for most patients is between 48 -72 hours. It is    extremely safe and high volume surgeons consistently report very  low complication rates and close to zero mortality. Overall, bariatric  (obesity) and metabolic surgery improves quality of life of the  patient, improves survival, and is very cost effective (by allowing  saving on future healthcare costs and increasing individual’s  economic productivity).