Dr Abhay Agrawal at Asia Pacific Conference Speaks on Resolving Diabetes Complications with Bariatric Surgery

The meeting was IFSO which brought more than 500 internationally acclaimed surgeons, researchers and pioneers from 18 countries across the world.

The location was Goa but nothing was further in the audience minds than beach and the sands due to high quality clinical interactions between surgical leaders such as Dr Kelvin Higa from US who is the worlwide president of IFSO (International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders) and medical leaders such as Dr Lee Kaplan from US who is a world renowned physician in metabolic disorders. Dr. Kelvin Higa is also Dr Agrawal’s mentor who inspired him to take up Gastric bypass surgery.

At the Conference Dr Agrawal was invited as Faculty to share his experience in resolving microvascular complications arising from diabetes, through Bariatric surgery in his morbidly obese patients.

Diabetes leads to microvascular complications which include damage to eyes (retinopathy) leading to blindness, to kidneys (nephropathy) leading to renal failure and to nerves (neuropathy) leading to impotence and diabetic foot disorders which may progress to amputation in severe cases.

In his presentation Dr Agrawal shared how bariatric and metabolic surgeries have resolved progression of microvascular complications in his patients and have also led to long-term weight loss.

The theme of the conference was “Diabesity”- a term coined by WHO (World Health Organisation) to bring under focus the close association between Obesity and Diabetes.

Obesity is no longer considered a cosmetic issue caused by overeating and a lack of self-control. The WHO, as well as other national and international medical and scientific societies have defined obesity as a chronic progressive disease that results from multiple environmental and genetic factors and must be tackled with special attention and treatment.

Bariatric surgery is now considered the most reliable and evidence-based solution for obese patients to attain long-term weight loss and resolve related complications in morbidly obese patients.

The presentation was very well received by the visiting experts. And, for Dr Abhay it was a matter of great honour to have the opportunity to share his experience with the top surgeons of Asia Pacific and the world.