Surgery gives ray of hope

DUBAI - A surgical procedure that treats patients with type-two diabetes is now available in Dubai.

By Ali Zafar

Published: Tue 15 May 2012, 9:05 PM

Last updated: Tue 7 Apr 2015, 1:45 PM

Dr R. Padmakumar of International Modern Hospital, where the procedure is performed, said 90 per cent of the patients recover completely and cured of type-two diabetes after the surgery, while 10 per cent take a smaller dosage of their medication. “This gives people living with type-two diabetes hope that they can cure their condition,” Padmakumar said.

The UAE has the second highest rate of diabetes in the world, behind India, with 20 per cent of the population here living with the condition.

The surgical procedure for thin individuals is twofold, said Padmakumar. A modified gastric sleeve is performed, which is where doctors surgically remove a part of the patient’s stomach.

“With this procedure, your appetite is reduced, you eat less and then good hormones are stimulated in your body, which make you feel full and, automatically, this increases insulin production by the pancreas,” Padmakumar said.

But this procedure alone isn’t sufficient for producing enough insulin in thin individuals, he added. Thin individuals also undergo an ileal interpositioning, a procedure where the final section of the small intestine is placed closer to the stomach, which further helps to control blood sugar levels, Padmakumar said.

Obese individuals with type-two diabetes only undergo the gastric-sleeve procedure.

The surgery for thin individuals takes four hours and two hours for obese individuals. It costs Dh75,000, with insurance companies in the UAE not covering the procedure, something Padmakumar says he is trying to change. But before going under the knife, one expert says it’s important to try out other methods of dealing with diabetes.

Sunita Wagh, a yoga instructor at the Art of Living in Dubai, said she has seen students with diabetes reduce their insulin dosages as they continued to practise yoga.

“One of the reasons for diabetes is a sedentary lifestyle. If you become active and take up an activity like yoga, it helps balance your metabolic system,” she said.

Padmakumar says he doesn’t stop people from trying out alternative methods, but added if it’s not working for them, the surgical option is always available.

alizafar@khaleejtimes.com