78% of patients undergoing bariatric surgeries at the Rafael Hernández L Hospital, in David, Chiriquí, have shown positive results, with notable weight loss.
The hospital has performed 70 surgeries and the results have even exceeded current international standards for this procedure.
Daniel Carreira, general surgeon of this program, explained that to enter the program offered, free of charge, by the Social Security Fund, the patient must bring a reference from a general doctor.
The reference must contain the patient’s level of obesity and once referred to the service, the bariatric surgeon evaluates it and sends it for consultation with Nutrition, Physiotherapy, Psychology and Endoscopy.
Bariatric surgery is an effective and transformative option for those struggling with being overweight.
This surgical procedure not only promotes significant weight loss, but also improves health conditions for people with diabetes mellitus, hypertension and sleep apnea.
The procedure can be with a type of surgery called gastric sleeve, which reduces gastric volume, or with another that consists, more than anything, of preventing the absorption of nutrients, called gastric bypass, Carreira added.
