BY SCOTT HADDOW
Obese people battle many emotional, physical, social and physiological issues on a daily basis and turn to drastic measures to help them in their cause to live a healthier life.
One of the more common surgical procedures obese people pursue is gastric bypass surgery, which involves permanent alteration of the digestive system by cutting and stapling of the stomach and/or bowel.
Gastric bypass allows obese people to lose massive amounts of weight, but the patients are left with many more issues to deal with, some of them for the rest of their life. Gastric bypass carries high risks and rates of complications and causes nutritional deficiencies that require lifelong nutritional supplements.
Patients looking for another alternative in Northern Ontario can turn to the ThinLife Surgical Weight Loss Program at the Northern Ontario Surgical Centre in Sudbury.
The ThinLife procedure involves the insertion of an adjustable band around the upper stomach through a small incision to limit the amount of food a patient can consume. The band allows patients to feel fuller faster and stop eating.
The procedure requires commitment from the patient and the clinic to ensure success.
“The band is the tool, not the solution,” said operations director Julie Barr. “It’s a different approach to the same problem. So much of the patient’s success is dependent on proper support and education. It’s not normal surgery where you have surgery, a few days of recovery and then move on. It requires lifestyle changes and a healthier approach to everyday living.”
Patients opting for the gastric band over gastric bypass have the advantage of not having their stomachs or bowels altered. The procedure is completely reversible, it doesn’t cause malabsorption of vitamins and nutrients and results in minimal scarring.
The band can be adjusted by introducing saline solution into a small access port just under the skin, keeping the patient’s stomach the correct size to achieve healthy weight loss. The procedure takes approximately 30 minutes and costs $16,000. It is not covered by OHIP and isn’t available anywhere else in Northern Ontario.
Patients opting for the gastric band must also be ready to work hard with a team of specialists after the surgery. The ThinLife program offers a team of specialists providing a range of educational, coaching and psychological support to clients throughout their adjustment period.
Life altering
“It can be life-altering for patients who are successful,” Dr. Kashif Irshad said. “The patients who succeed are the ones who have access to a dietitian, personal trainer, nutritionist, physiological therapist and nurses who can adjust the bands. If a patient can’t access all these, they will not do well with the operation. By reducing weight, you can eliminate health problems … depression, anxiety, stress on joints and it goes a long way to improving self confidence and self esteem.”
Irshad pointed to studies that indicate that patients using gastric bypass lose 55 to 60 per cent of their excess body mass while gastric band patients lose 45 per cent. The first year and a half is crucial and sets the tone. Patients come in once a month to have the band adjusted to suit their needs and weight loss goals. The ThinLife program offers free refills and de-fills for life.
“In the first year, patients need to make adjustments to ensure they’re nourished properly,” Irshad said. “It’s a commitment from the patient and the clinic. Then it goes into cruise control. We know exactly how much saline should be in the band, so it’s left there. The patient’s goal for weight loss depends on how much saline is in the band.”
It all comes down to how dedicated the gastric banding patient is.
“The patient needs to put more focus on healthy living by being more active,” Barr said. “They can beat the band by eating high calorie food. It requires some behaviour modification.”
www.thinlife.ca
