Preparación del paciente obeso mórbido para la cirugía: importancia de la pérdida de peso preoperatoria

Surgery is the only effective treatment for those people with a body mass index (BMI) of over 40 or even more than 35 when there are associated diseases like diabetes or hypertension. The pre-operative preparation of these patients is vital for reducing the risks of the surgical procedure and for improving the post-operative results. The “acute” loss of weight before surgery, one of the fundamental pillars of this preparation, can be achieved through different means such as a very low-calorie diet or the placement of an intragastric balloon. In the following article, we shall analyse the advantages and disadvantages of each of them.