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Weight loss first for Wales30 April 2007Help is at hand for Welsh people battling morbid obesity – weight-loss surgery is to be provided privately in Wales for the first time. The groundbreaking service is to be offered by Bupa Hospital Cardiff and will be a major step forward for the treatment of morbid obesity in the country. Currently in Wales there is only limited access to weight-loss surgery, but according to the Welsh Health Survey nearly one in five (18 percent) people are obese. That situation should now be eased. Available at Bupa Hospital Cardiff will be gastric band operations as part of a comprehensive service that will include assessment, support and counselling. A dedicated team of doctors, dieticians and psychotherapists will be part of the consultation process before and after any operation. As Welsh waist-lines increase the reality is that for those people who are morbidly obese the health implications are very serious, with an increased risk of diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Obesity surgery can be a successful way of treating patients who have failed to lose weight by any other method. While not a ‘quick fix’, it is an operation that can offer hope of a better, longer and healthier life. Mr Michael Nutt, consultant surgeon at Bupa Hospital Cardiff, said: “This new service is a real breakthrough for weight-loss surgery in Wales. We face an overwhelming demand and with obesity on the increase, the implications for this country’s health are huge. “For many people who have tried everything to lose weight but remain morbidly obese – surgery can be the answer. With the proper assessment, counselling and long-term support, it does change lives and offers people a new start and a healthier future.” The surgery involves placing an adjustable gastric band around the upper part of the stomach, which restricts how much food the stomach can hold. There is no cutting or stapling needed to divide the upper stomach pouch from the lower stomach. The insertion of the gastric band is usually performed using keyhole (laparoscopic) surgery. The band limits the amount of food you can eat before feeling full, enabling you to lose weight quickly and painlessly. It also trains you to limit your portion size to manageable amounts, and because you have to eat more slowly, to be aware of the food you are eating. What makes the device so unique is that it can be adjusted without the need for further surgery. By adjusting the amount of fluid in the band, one can control the amount of food eaten and the rate at which it passes through the upper gastric pouch into the lower part of the stomach. For further information on gastric banding and an information pack, visit the Bupa Hospitals weight loss surgery website or contact our customer services advisers on 0800 434 6622.
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