Now, weight-loss surgery comes cheap at RML

In a gastric bypass surgery, the stomach is made smaller by making a small pouch, which is then directly connected to the middle of the small intestine, bypassing the rest of the stomach and the upper portion of the small intestine. As a result, the intake of food is drastically reduced, making the patient feel full early.

In Akolia8217;s case, her stomach is now a pouch of only 80 ml. 8220;How much can she eat with a stomach that is so small? She will return to a normal life within 3-4 weeks but will have to follow a diet plan we give,8221; said a surgeon at the hospital.

Doctors are now hoping that the new facility will help high blood pressure and diabetes patients. 8220;We are hopeful that more patients will benefit from the procedure now available in our hospital. It is good that people are opting for weight loss surgery because in India obesity is not considered a disease,8221; said Dr N K Chaturvedi, Medical Superintendent, RML Hospital.

The hospital will soon set up a bariatric clinic to reach out to maximum people. RML Hospital is the first central government hospital to provide this facility; All India Institute of Medical Sciences, which is an autonomous body, too, offers the surgery.