In a remarkable medical feat, AIIMS Delhi doctors successfully performed bariatric surgery on a 32-year-old man weighing 209 kg. The procedure followed a month-long intensive preparation to stabilize the patient's critical health conditions.

Key Takeaways

  • Patient weighed 209 kg with a BMI of 74 kg/m².
  • A 32-day intensive pre-operative regimen reduced weight to 172 kg.
  • Surgeons utilized the Laparoscopic One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass (OAGB) technique.
  • The patient is now breathing independently and walking without assistance.

Doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, have achieved a significant medical milestone by performing bariatric surgery on a 32-year-old man weighing 209 kg. The patient’s condition was categorized as 'super-super obesity,' presenting extreme risks for conventional surgical intervention.

Clinical Challenges and Complexity

The patient suffered from severe complications, including Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA), respiratory failure, hypertension, and prediabetes. Due to the severity of his breathing issues, he required an emergency tracheostomy and constant CPAP support for over a month. Furthermore, his massive abdominal girth of 198 cm made it impossible to position him on a standard operating table.

Why This Matters

BozokMedia analysis shows that the success of this operation was not just due to surgical skill, but a highly coordinated multidisciplinary approach. By implementing a 32-day Very Low-Calorie Diet (VLCD) and respiratory physiotherapy, the medical team managed to reduce his weight to 172 kg and his abdominal girth by 20 cm, making the surgery logistically feasible.

Reducing abdominal girth, rather than weight alone, proved critical in making this high-risk surgery feasible.

The Surgical Procedure and Recovery

The multidisciplinary team—comprising surgeons, anaesthesiologists, and dietitians—performed a Laparoscopic One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass (OAGB). The procedure lasted just over two hours without major complications. Post-operatively, the patient showed rapid recovery, weaning off respiratory support and regaining mobility within days.

Did You Know?: Bariatric surgery is often used as a life-saving intervention for patients with a BMI over 40 to prevent chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass (OAGB)?
OAGB is a type of weight-loss surgery that creates a small stomach pouch and connects it directly to the small intestine.

2. Why was the pre-operative phase so important?
It was vital to reduce the patient's abdominal size and improve lung function to ensure he could safely survive the anesthesia and surgery.