what you need to know and who to contact – WWN

First a lot of effort to lose weight, then results that are not entirely satisfactory. Both in front of the mirror and for health in general. an obstacle course that of
obese people
who, especially after losing many kilos, find themselves with a lot of excess skin and a problem that is not only aesthetic, but also functional. Enough to be carried out through the National Health Service: when? Who is entitled to it? Which centers should you contact? Important things to know and do while waiting to undergo surgery post-bariatric surgery much desired by many patients? To answer patients’ questions Italian Society of Reconstructive-Regenerative and Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (Sicpre) organized an event in Abano Terme, but also accessible online.

What is post-bariatric surgery

It is estimated that every year in Italy around 40 thousand people, 70% of whom are women, undergo post-bariatric surgery, which reduces the excess skin of people who, due to obesity, have already undergone surgery aimed at reducing weight loss. weight, thus losing tens of kilos. As he explains Stefania de Fazio, president of Sicpre: The main post-bariatric surgery interventions are arm lifts, to eliminate excess skin from the upper limbs; Torsoplasty, which reduces excess tissue on the trunk; the mastopexy or reduction mammoplasty, with which the breast is reshaped in women by recreating a breast cone that is as correct as possible; abdominoplasty, to eliminate the so-called sagging “apron belly”; the thigh lift, which reduces the excess lining tissues responsible for walking problems. Operations that take place at the expense of the National Health Service, albeit with different methods and indications from region to region.

Rely on specialized centers

Trusting in expert hands is essential because, even when it is performed in the best way and by the most trained professionals, post-bariatric surgery gives rise to complications in 40% of cases. The first aim of the meeting organized by Sicpre is to raise awareness of the specialized centers present in the national territory – he explains Franco Bassetto, leading the first Post Bariatric Day organized on Tuesday 21 November, from 7pm to 9pm, in Abano Terme -. Patients often move hundreds of kilometers away from home, while they have a referral hospital a short distance away or, even worse, they turn to inexperienced surgeons. The event is open to all and can be followed on Zoom (at this link) or on Sicpre YouTube page, who is working on a list of specialized centers to be published on the scientific society’s website so that it can be consulted by the public. The demand for these interventions is growing strongly in Italy, increasing by 30% per year together with (unfortunately) the number of overweight and obese compatriots – he adds Bassettowhich also full professor of Plastic Surgery at the University of Padua and head of Clinical Plastic Surgery at the Padua Hospital -. And people who need body remodeling to be able to live in the spirit of well-being in the functional and emotional recovery of their body, first of all need correct information.

Not just aesthetics

When, after a significant weight loss, there are many excess tissues, former obese patients have problems with maceration of the skin in the folds, difficulty in walking, dressing and even in complying with personal hygiene. In general, the degree of satisfaction of patients undergoing this surgery is very high, provided that the objectives have been correctly explained to them – says Bassetto -: these are not aesthetic interventions, but aimed at redesigning the silhouette to lead a normal life . Obviously this also entails an advantage “in the mirror”, but not the first purpose and above all the resulting extensive scars cannot be avoided. How do we proceed? In Italy we deal with these patients performing one or two operations at the same time, for example arm lift and mastopexy or abdominoplasty and thigh lift – continues the expert -, but always without increasing the operating time, so as not to increase the risks associated with the operation. This entails the need to have athe entire surgical team, with different professionals simultaneously working on different parts of the body. The changes dictated by the patient’s past increase the possibility of possible complications. The obese person, for example, is characterized (even when he has reached his ideal weight) by a hypertrophism of the blood vessels, 4 or 5 times higher than normal physiology – explains Stefania de Fazio -. The risk of bleeding is therefore very high, as is the risk of difficult healing of wounds, even in the face of such extensive scarring.

What to do and know while waiting for skin removal

The waiting time to access the removal of excess skin changes based on many parameters: it can be considered a year from when the patient is stabilized, but it is a generalization that must then be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. It depends on many variables and each person must be taken individually – adds de Fazio -. After bariatric surgery we must wait for a general “physical adjustment”, of the tissues and metabolism. The weight must be stable (many people tend to gain weight) and the number of kilos lost, the type of surgery already undergone, and the person’s lifestyle are also considered. Do regular physical activity and follow ahealthy eating are two golden rules, but then each person has its own story. like an athlete preparing for the Olympics and must have strong discipline and a timetable to follow concludes President Sicpre.

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