What is obesity?
Obesity is a serious disease that can lead to other severe health problems and may even lead to early death. Obesity is now considered an epidemic disease. It is associated with a wide range of medical problems including hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, arthritis, gastro esophageal reflux disease and high cholesterol among others. Obesity is measured by the Body Mass Index or BMI. This is a calculation using weight and height to characterize the severity of a person’s obesity. BMI = weight (kg) / height (m2).
Bariatric Surgery
Bariatric surgery is surgery that is performed on the gastrointestinal tract of the morbidly obese patient with the goal of achieving long-term weight loss. Bariatric surgery has been clearly shown to effectively reduce weight in the morbidly obese and to achieve significant improvement and even cure of many of the obesity related co-morbidities (associated diseases). Recent studies have even shown that bariatric surgery increases life span in the morbidly obese.
Patients that have a BMI of 35 and one or more co-morbidities, or patients with a BMI of 40 or more, are eligible for bariatric surgery.
There are a variety of surgical techniques for bariatric surgery. The most common and accepted techniques are the laparoscopic gastric sleeve, the laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, and the laparoscopic gastric band.
Calculate your BMI
| Body Mass Index (BMI) | Morbidity Risk | |
| Under weight | < 18,5 | |
| Normal | 18,5 – 24,9 | Moderate |
| Overweight | 25 – 29.9 | Slightly increased |
| Obese Class I | 30 – 34,9 | Moderately increased |
| Obese Class II | 35 – 39,9 | Seriously increased |
| Obese Class III> | >40 | Very seriously increased |
Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy
Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is considered the gold standard for minimally invasive weight loss surgery. It is categorized as a “restrictive” bariatric procedure. In this procedure a portion of the stomach is removed. This decreases or “restricts” the amount of food that a person can take in at a given time. Patients are not only restricted in how much they can eat, but they actually feel less hungry. Many people feel this operation is a better alternative to the laparoscopic gastric band because there is no introduction of foreign material into the body. Scientific trials underline its efficiency treating morbid obesity and its associated co-morbidities with results similar to RYGB, but with fewer risks and less surgery associated complications compared with RYGB.
Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy allows for a safe and effective surgery for long term weight loss, with a much faster recovery time compared with open surgery. Most patients start taking in liquids the day after surgery and most patients return home a day after that..
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Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Band Surgery
Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Band Surgery (LAGB) or Lap-Band Surgery is a minimally invasive weight loss procedure that is indicated for the morbidly obese patient or the obese patient that has certain associated medical problems. The surgery involves placing a plastic band around the upper stomach to restrict the amount of food and calories a patient can take in. It has been found to be an effective way to achieve long-term weight loss. Patients find this surgery appealing because the band can be removed if necessary. The surgery is performed laparoscopically through small incisions. Most patients who undergo a lap-band will go home the day after surgery.
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Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass
Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y-gastric bypass (RYGB) is a minimally invasive operation to achieve weight loss. It is indicated for the morbidly obese patient or the obese patient that has certain associated, or co-morbid, medical problems. The surgery involves making about five small incisions in the abdominal wall and placing a camera and small instruments into the abdominal cavity to redirect the flow of food through the gastrointestinal tract. This ‘bypasses’ the food to a lower segment of bowel so that the body absorbs less food and fewer calories. The surgery also reconstructs the stomach, creating a small stomach ‘pouch’. The creation of a small gastric pouch, limits the amount of food a person can take in at a given time.
Bariatric Surgery is a specialized field within Surgery and the success of the procedures is optimally managed by a team of doctors and specialists from different medical disciplines.
Dr. Pedonomou is regarded as one of the pioneers of Bariatric Surgery in Cyprus. He has performed a considerable number of bariatric procedures and he has presented the results of his research and his studies in national and international congresses. His study “The Quality of Life in Morbidly Obese Patients before and after bariatric Surgery” was published by the Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases, Journal of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery in Nov. – Dec. 2015, and the study “The Significant Improvement of Quality of Life in Morbidly Obese Patients after Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy” by the Obesity Facts, The European Journal of Obesity in June 2016.
His most appreciated recognition is the acknowledgement from the International Federation for the Surgery for Obesity of his contribution to Bariatric Surgery in Cyprus, and the invitation to represent his country at the First Mediterranean Obesity Summit. Since then, Dr. Pedonomou has been regarded as Founding Member of the Mediterranean Obesity Surgery Network.