Surgery Operating Unit for the treatment of obesity and metabolic diseases

The Surgical Operating Unit for the treatment of obesity and metabolic diseases of Fondazione Poliambulanza directed by Dr. Francesco Greco, arises as a reference point for the treatment of patients suffering from obesity, thus offering them a wide range of solutions thanks to rehabilitative paths and multidisciplinary treatments suitable for the most different requirements.

Bariatric and Post-Bariatric Surgery (of body reshaping after weight loss) represents the core of the activity of this Specialized Operating Unit and makes use of the most innovative technologies and surgical techniques.  The proposed interventions are designed to comply with patient’s characteristics.  The gastric bypass with single anastomosis (minibypass) is among the most requested and most successful interventions; in addition to this, there are also restrictive, malabsorption and mixed interventions and innovative endoscopic techniques (without cutting).

The mini-invasiveness consists in the presence for the patient of only three small scars of less than one centimeter (laparoscopy with reduced number of accesses), in the reduced duration of the intervention (below the hour) and in the absence of drainage, bladder catheters and gastric nose tubes. 
Fast Track route provides for a minimum hospitalization (two nights after surgery) and a painfree postoperative course. The patient undergoing bariatric surgery can actually get up and drink after a few hours from surgery and return to normal life in perfect shape after less than a week. 

The Metabolic Surgery  is not only addressed  to Big Obese, but also to those patients with lower obesity and pathologies, such as diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, hypercholesterolemia  not optimally monitored by medical therapy or due to a poor quality of life.    Compared to traditional therapy, the metabolic surgery is able to check more effectively the glycemic level, thus preventing organ damages that may turn into renal failure, retinopathy, microangiopathy, neuropathy and myocardial infarction. 

The effectiveness of metabolic surgery is so unquestionable that in cases of diabetes mellitus with onset lower than 5 years, nine out of ten patients can immediately suspend (the day after)  their hypoglycemic teraphies, including insulin.  Progressively, a better physical form as well as a healthier appearance are reacquired  without upsetting patient’s nutritional habits. 

All the proposed interventions are united by 3 characteristics:

1. Efficacy: they lose weight significantly and heal or significantly improve obesity-related comorbidities (especially diabetes)
2. Reversibility: they guarantee the possibility of restoring the functional, physiological and anatomical conditions before the operation if necessary.
3. Modulability: they are customized and adapted to patient’s requirements (factors that may change depending on the age and sex as well as on professional, relational, clinical needs).