Dutch hospital to start stomach reduction surgery for obese teen, 13 years old

Feldhoven and Maastricht hospitals recently launched a study in which certain obese Dutch teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17 could undergo stomach reduction surgery. Hospitals are investigating how these manipulations can be incorporated into routine care. People’s Newspaper report.

Physicians and health care providers from different disciplines, including pediatricians, surgeons, anesthesiologists, psychologists, and nutritionists, have been working on this topic for eight years. Gastric reduction surgery requires a lifelong change in the patient’s lifestyle. This includes taking daily vitamin supplements and not drinking fluids within 30 minutes of eating a meal.

However, obesity has a serious impact not only on a teenager’s physical health, but also on their mental health and social life. Overweight people are more prone to depression, are less likely to conceive, have difficulty making friends, have trouble finding jobs and often earn less, says Anita, a pediatrician and professor at MUMC+. Mr Vreugdenhill told the newspaper. .

Experts therefore agree on strict guarantees that must be met before a child undergoes gastric bypass. There are 10,000 people. But only a small percentage of them actually qualify, says Vreugdenhill.

“The pediatrician must refer the patient to a specialized center, where it will be investigated whether they have tried everything to lose weight for at least a year, including lifestyle changes, nutritionists, psychologists, and family counseling. Only then will the patient be nominated to a national platform where experts from various disciplines will re-evaluate the patient, followed by an intensive discussion with the surgeon and the family.” Teenagers receive at least five years of guidance on lifestyle changes associated with stomach shrinkage.

Studies in the United States and Scandinavia have shown that gastric reduction surgery has positive health effects. The Veldhoven and Maastricht study aims to investigate how surgery can best be incorporated into the current care that teenagers already receive.

Stomach reduction is not a replacement for current care, Francois van Dielen, the initiator of the study and a surgeon at Maxima MC, told Volkskrant. Of course, the main focus should be on prevention and focused instruction, but we must not forget that some young people have already turned their backs on the wall. I have to offer something to