Weight Loss Surgery Could Help Cure Diabetes
Health care professionals have long debated whether or not it is possible to find a cure for diabetes. Two new studies may offer diabetic patients the first hope they have of receiving a cure. These studies argue that weight loss surgery could cure diabetes.
A recent study was led by Dr. Geltrude Mingrone from the Catholic University in Rome and Dr. Francesco Rubino, a renowned expert in diabetes surgery in New York. This study evaluated 60 patients suffering from diabetes and the manner of treatment they received. Patients involved in both studies were either treated with one of two types of surgeries or with medication.
Weight Loss Surgery for Curing Diabetes?
[box type=”important”]Mingrone and Rubino’s study found that surgery was a highly effective means of treating diabetes. The first type of surgery had a 95% chance of helping patients reach target glucose levels without being supplemented with any medication. The second surgery had a 75% effectiveness rate.[/box]
The results of this study corroborate research that was conducted back in July of 2011. Dr. Philip Schauer of the Cleveland Institute studied 150 patients who received the same types of treatment in Rubino and Mingrone’s study. He found that only 12% of patients treated with medication alone were only able to keep their glucose levels under normal levels. On the other hand, patients receiving either of the two forms of bariatric surgeries were able to stabilize their glucose levels about three times as often.
Treat Diabetes with Bariatric Surgery?
These studies suggest that health care professionals may want to encourage their patients to pursue bariatric surgeries as a means of treating diabetes. No patients died in any of these surgeries and very few experienced any complications.
Although the studies found that surgery was an effective means of treating diabetes, they gave no indication as to the long-term benefits they offered. The studies showed that the surgery was an effective means of treating diabetes for up to 5 years. However, more research will need to be conducted before health care professionals can determine whether or not they are able to treat diabetes in the long-term.
Nonetheless, diabetes experts are encouraged by the findings of the two studies and expect that surgery would offer long-term benefits. Australian diabetes experts George Alberti and Paul Zimmet said the results of these studies are likely to revolutionize the treatment procedures for diabetes.
