More and more patients are choosing to forgo adjustable gastric band surgeries and replace them with various weight-loss injections, according to Health Ministry data obtained by Ynet Tuesday.
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According to the data, the number of such operations fell by 27% between 2017 and 2022. The ministry attributes this decline to the introduction of weight-loss injections, which began as treatments for diabetes patients.
Some health professionals contend that in some instances, this represents a pursuit of quick fixes. They highlight the fact that information concerning the long-term side effects of these medications is scanty. Furthermore, they maintain that without lifestyle modifications, it's impossible to maintain any significant changes over time.
Bariatric surgeries are a group of surgical procedures aimed at helping patients lose weight by limiting the amount of food their stomach can hold. The most common procedures in this category include gastric band surgery, where a silicone band is placed around the stomach's upper part, as well as sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass.
Over the years, these surgeries have become popular, but they also carry risks and complications. After the surgery, patients may experience vomiting and infections, leaks and even abscesses (pus formation in response to infection). Additionally, they can lead to internal organ leakage or damage and may cause bowel obstruction.
Weight-loss injections, which induce a feeling of fullness for hours and thus gradually lead to weight loss, are considered relatively safe. Unlike gastric bypass, they do not require invasive surgery. However, little is known about their long-term effects as they have only been in use for about two years and have since gained significant popularity.
According to the data from the Clalit healthcare fund, as of October 2022, the number of patients receiving Saxenda, one of the main medications administered by injection, exceeded 14,000. This number surpassed the patient count for this medication in other health funds and exceeded the numbers for other medications, including Ozempic.
According to Dr. Shimon Spoznikov, the director of the Bariatric Surgery Unit at Rabin Medical Center, "Medical treatment for obesity has been available for many years, but nowadays there are more effective medications on the market than ever before. A patient suffering from obesity wants to lose weight at the lowest cost possible, meaning with as little investment as possible on his part. However, no one knows how effective this treatment is. When we determine the success of surgery or not, it takes five to ten years. With medications, we don't have access to this data at all."
Furthermore, according to Dr. Spoznikov, "In the long term, no one knows what the side effects of this medical treatment are, which essentially last a lifetime."
However, it is essential to emphasize that weight-loss injections are not equally effective for everyone. Dr. Arik Barel, a plastic surgeon and the director of the Body Contouring and Abdominal Reconstruction Clinic at Rabin Medical Center, stated that "in certain weight ranges, these injections may be less helpful. These medications have an impact, but it is up to a certain percentage of the weight. When the need for weight loss is less significant, sometimes we can tailor injections or medical treatments that can help - unlike situations where dealing with extremely high weights."
"However," according to Dr. Barel, "I believe that in the foreseeable future, bariatric surgeries for gastric bypass will not lose their relevance. This is because weight-loss injections are only suitable for cases with less significant weight loss. Additionally, it is essential to understand that these injections do not work without lifestyle changes. The crucial part of weight maintenance is changing habits and lifestyle. Even in the case of surgery, weight loss occurs afterward, but it is still necessary to make lifestyle changes."
The Health Ministry stated that "the number of bariatric surgeries reached its peak in 2015 and has been steadily declining since then. The reasons for the decline are the process of referring patients to surgery, which went through a significant change and affected the number of patients who eventually underwent surgery. Additionally, the introduction of new non-surgical treatment alternatives, such as injections, has also contributed to the decrease in bariatric surgeries."