Diabetic Retinopathy Decreased After Metabolic Surgery

Posted on: 10th Dec, 2021

sasse-surgical-metabolic-surgery-decreases-retinopathy

People with type two diabetes have a lot on their plate. First, there is blood sugar management and dealing with finger sticks and medications. But more of a toll is grappling with the slow progression of the disease and its effects the kidneys, small vessels of the toes and feet, and the retinas. Diabetes is the number one cause of blindness in the United States. A substantial number of people develop severe retinopathy because of diabetes, despite being under the care of doctors and continuing to “do everything right“ by taking medications and following instructions on diet and exercise.

As we have discussed in other articles, that old-school paradigm of managing diabetes results in millions of people developing renal failure, amputations, and blindness, many of which could be prevented. Metabolic surgery has proven highly effective at not only reversing the whole diabetes disease process altogether in many people but reducing these long-term complications of diabetes.

Demonstrating just one such important area of risk reduction are authors Caberry, Yu and colleagues who published a recent excellent study on diabetic retinopathy and the progression toward blindness among people with diabetes. As UNR medical student Maebob Enokenwa shows below, the authors compare retinopathy among those who undergo metabolic surgery to those who do not. For those of us who have been in the space for a long time, the results are not at all surprising; as depicted below, the study found a large drop in the development and progression of diabetic retinopathy over the course of several years among those who had undergone metabolic surgery.

The mechanisms of metabolic surgery are predominantly hormonal, moving right down to the base layer or the root causes of the metabolic dysfunction and hyperglycemia in the human body. In many cases we are seeing direct hormonal effects that reverse the deterioration of organs including the liver, kidneys, brain, heart, and in this case, eyes.

sasse-surgical-impact-bariatric-sugery-diabetic-retinopathy

Metabolic surgery today is one of the safest procedures routinely performed in hospitals, safer than gallbladder, hysterectomy, appendectomy, and most orthopedic procedures, to give a few examples. The most performed procedure — known as sleeve gastrectomy — removes hormonally active tissue from the outer part of the stomach. This results in a long-term change in the profile of an important family of metabolic hormones, including GLP-1, Ghrelin, PYY, and Leptin. There is strong evidence that other important regulatory hormones are favorably affected after the surgery and may have even more direct effects that prevent retinal damage.

If you or someone you love is managing their diabetes with the legacy treatment plan, including pills, shots, diet, and exercise, then it may help them to know that the risk of retinopathy and blindness is significantly reduced with metabolic surgery. It’s a 45-minute laparoscopic procedure recommended by the American diabetes Association and virtually every endocrinology organization in the world.

Learn more about whether you might be a candidate for metabolic surgery. Contact the Nevada Surgical team today.

Similar Recent Posts

  • Is There An Ideal Weight For Bariatric Surgery?

    • ideal-weight-for-bariatric-surgery-nevada-surgical

      One of the most common questions we hear is whether or not there’s an ideal weight for bariatric surgery. It’s a logical question, but there’s no magic number that qualifies you for the procedure. That’s because bariatric surgery isn’t based on your actual weight alone. Instead, it’s based on your body mass index (BMI) and Read More…

  • Can Sacral Neuromodulation Interfere With A Cardiac Pacemaker?

    • SNM-safe-for-people-with-cardiac-pacemakers-nevada-surgical-reno

      A few people have wondered if sacral neuromodulation might interfere with their cardiac pacemaker.  The answer is no; the two are both entirely safe, even when used together, but let me elaborate a bit. Sacral neuromodulation (SNM) is considered safe for individuals with cardiac pacemakers because of their key mechanisms and safety measures. Both are Read More…

  • A Nevada Surgical Patient Review Of SNM: A “Miracle!”

    • nevada-surgical-patient-review-of-SNM-a-miracle

      When Glenn L. saw a commercial on television for a revolutionary incontinence treatment, he wasted no time making a phone call and subsequent appointment. At 70 years old, he describes navigating incontinence issues for at least seven years, something his own father had also experienced. “I would have to get up at least five times Read More…

Address
Nevada Surgical
5500 Reno Corporate Drive
Suite 100

Reno, NV 89511
Minimally invasive weight loss surgery experts.info@sassesurgical.com(775) 829-7999
Phone
Office Hours
Monday
7:30 am - 4:30 pm
Tuesday
7:30 am - 4:30 pm
Wednesday
7:30 am - 4:30 pm
Thursday
7:30 am - 4:30 pm
Friday
Closed
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed