I recently came across an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal – an excerpt from the book “Confessions of a Surgeon” by Paul A. Ruggieri.
“I had been in the operating room for more than four hours, struggling to remove a diseased segment of colon from someone I’ll call Mr. Baker, a 330-pound middle-aged man. Trying to keep his fat out of my way during the operation had been a continuous battle. The pain in my upper back reminded me that I was losing the fight.
Obese patients create more physical work for a surgeon during any type of procedure. The operations take longer, tie our upper body in knots and leave us with fatigue and frustration. Obese patients also automatically face an increased risk of complications like infection, pneumonia and blood clots during recovery.”
We all know that being obese increases your risk for a variety of chronic diseases including Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, congestive heart failure as well as increasing your chances of having a stroke or heart attack. This article includes a graphic description of the serious risks involved in being overweight when you have surgery.
Did you need one more reason to make healthier choices in 2012?


















