Metabolic syndrome surgery


 * Associate Editor(s)-In-Chief: Priyamvada Singh, M.B.B.S. [mailto:psingh@perfuse.org]

Overview
Metabolic syndrome occurs in the presence of insulin resistance and accompanying obesity. It increases the risk for coronary heart disease, diabetes, fatty liver, stroke and some cancers. Surgical therapy is not routinely performed for metabolic syndrome. However, in cases of morbid obesity and unresponsiveness of medical therapy bariatric surgery can be performed. The beneficial effects of surgery is thought to be due to the weight loss after surgery that in turn decreases the insulin resistance. Also, increased secretion of gut hormones such as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) accompanies the surgery and thus helps in metabolic syndrome.