Dr. Sarfaraz Jalil Baig, Author at Digestive Surgery Clinic

Aug 18 Comments Off

Bariatric Surgery Can Help The Obese Infertile

Posted by Dr. Sarfaraz Jalil Baig

Infertility in females is a growing problem. Statistics show that one in six couples are infertile. Forty percent of the problem lies in the females. One of the major influence or contributor to this problem is obesity. If you look around or visit a fertility center, one would know that many of the patients are overweight or obese. It comes as no surprise as obesity is now fast becoming the number one problem in the world. So why is obesity so important in fertility? Body fat is nowadays considered an endocrine organ responsible for producing various hormones. Some of these hormones work like birth control pills. Hence the eggs production and release are impaired and results in infertility. This phenomenon is also seen in a condition called PCOD (polycystic ovarian disease), a major cause of infertility. Another important and interesting observation seen in obese individuals is that some of the severely obese individuals are unable to perform a normal sexual act because of the sea of fat which hides the external genitalia. It is also evident from medical research that assisted reproduction (fertility treatment) is less likely to succeed in obese individuals.So how does one help these infertile ladies with obesity? Since obesity is the root cause of such infertility, it would be natural to consider that weight loss would logically improve the chances of fertility in these subjects. As a matter of fact this does happen in clinical practice. Medical literature and researches are showing that weight loss is associated with improved chances of fertility either naturally or by assisted reproduction.What is the role of Bariatric Surgery in infertility?Weight loss achieved either by adoption of diet and lifestyle or by weight loss surgery (Bariatric Surgery) in cases of severe obesity have both shown favorable outcome. A new study of morbidly obese women suggests that Bariatric surgery may effectively treat one of the most common causes of infertility i.e. PCOD. It is noted that 50% of infertile women conceived within 2 years of their Bariatric surgery. Even the increased risk of miscarriage in obese women may decline after Bariatric surgery. Additionally, the risks of complications during pregnancy such as diabetes, hypertension are also diminished.’,

Know more about Bariatric Surgery through this video on YouTube.

Scarless Surgery For Gallbladder, Hernia, Appendix And Severe Obesity- Glimpse Into The Future Or Reality

Posted by Dr. Sarfaraz Jalil Baig

Scars on the body make an ugly sight. Some do not mind, some may accept it but some just refuse to stomach it. Somewhere down the line each one of us would prefer to have a scarless body. I am sure everyone knows how acnes and their subsequent scars are a constant source of irritation to a teenager. Oh! How they would love to have a magic cure. Any cream, any pills are welcome. If you talk to them about cost , they would say â€œ forget costâ€. Although our beauty conscious soul is most sensitive to our face, make no mistake, a metro sexual is almost equally concerned of not having scars anywhere in the body.\The popularity of Scarless Surgery is precisely riding on this sentiment. The industry is hoping that surgeons are going to learn this new novel technique. Surgeons of course are tired of coping with the rapid progress in surgery. As if laparoscopic surgery was not enough, there are scarless surgery and robotics at the horizon already. All this learning is a source of great stress to the surgeons. What is the incentive in learning this new science of scarless surgery? Cosmesis. The question is, is improved cosmesis enough of an incentive for surgeons to switch from laparoscopic surgery to scarless surgery, or will increased costs and complex training dampen enthusiasm? Is it worth to invest time, money and effort into this space? The answer is simple. In the end, many believe consumer demand will be the biggest market driver for scarless surgeryâ€”one that could eventually overcome any resistance by the physicians to the technique. Numerous movies and television shows have glimpsed a future where surgeries are performed with a slender instrument, which is certainly not a scalpel. For example, fans of the original Star Trek series remember Leonard â€œBonesâ€ McCoy, the resident starship physician who was able to perform a wide range of complicated procedures on patients while leaving no scars whatsoever. Although such a utopian vision of the future still exists only in the realm of science fiction, the concept of scarless surgery is no longer a mere fantasy but a reality, thanks to the rapidly advancing technology.On a practical level, scarless surgery is now available for those who want it. It is possible to perform cholecystectomy, appendicectomy, hernia repair and bariatric surgery amongst a long list of procedures with this technique. The extra technology translates into extra cost but then when we want all the comfort for ourselves, cost becomes a very secondary issue. Already awareness is building up regarding this technique thanks to our great friend called â€œGoogleâ€. Earlier we were providing the options to patients between laparoscopic surgery and scarless surgery mostly to the body-conscious people such as actors, models and even doctors. Nowadays many patients walk in the clinic to enquire and even order regarding the procedure. We understand that more than anything this consumer demand is going to push the horizon of this Scarless Surgery even further. The patient ultimately has everything to gain.’,

What You Need To Know About Hernias?

Posted by Dr. Sarfaraz Jalil Baig

‘Hernias are bulges in the belly where intestines and abdominal fat come out under the skin through an abnormal opening. The abnormal opening may be a defect in a scar from a previous operation or a naturally present gap in the abdomen. Hence the common sites for hernias are the groin, navel or a previous operation site. A very common scenario is an elderly gentleman having a groin hernia or a middle-aged lady having hernia through a previous operative scar such as following a previous pelvic surgery.Hernias may be totally innocent not causing any problems or may produce pain, ugly bulges or may at times be a source of great danger to health when their blood supply gets impaired.A patient usually ignores an asymptomatic hernia in the hope that it will go away. Unfortunately this isn’t going to happen. An untreated hernia will increase in size over a period of time, during which it will also become more uncomfortable as well. A visit to the doctor makes it worse when he talks about surgery to correct the problem. Now imagine someone who has had a previous surgery and now has developed hernia through it. The thought of having to undergo one more cut in the belly is traumatic. As it is, the female patients are embarrassed to wear saris lest their scar should show. Surely, another scar is unacceptable. To add to it, the fear of recurrence (having a hernia again) is always there. Hence, it is understandable that many patients avoid surgery, the only cure for such a condition and fall prey to unscientific methods.In recent years, laparoscopic repair of hernias has emerged as an increasingly popular option. The very concerns of the patients such as more scars, fear of pain and failure are addressed by this procedure. Laparoscopic repair of hernias are done by making small holes in the belly instead of a large incision. This makes the procedure painless, stitchless and bloodless. There is almost no chance of wound infections, something that is seen more commonly in conventional surgeries. It also allows the patient to go back home in 1-2 days and resume normal activities. This is unprecedented in conventional surgery where the patients are hospitalized for many days with usually a tube sticking out of the abdomen. And they are not allowed to return to normal activities for few weeks.In the laparoscopic procedure, the mesh (an artificial sheet made of synthetic materials) is placed from inside the abdomen to reinforce the defect unlike what is done in open surgery where it is placed just below the skin (this leads to more discomfort). According to research, this is responsible for the decreased failure rates seen with this method.\r\nIn recent times lots of development has taken place in improving the quality of meshes and the way they are fixed. This makes it more comfortable for the patient.\r\nHowever just like all good things in life, this method of treatment too does not come cheap. The mesh costs a lot of money. As does the fixation devices. But for patients who love their body and are conscious for the comfort and results, the expense is worth it.’,

Watch this video on YouTube to know more on Hernia Surgery.

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