Metabolic surgery at AIIMS helps patients in tackling uncontrolled diabetes

A major achievement in diabetes care is emerging from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), where doctors say metabolic surgery can be a life changing solution for people with Type-2 diabetes that remains uncontrolled despite taking medicines, following a diet and undergoing lifestyle changes.

At a public briefing, Dr Manjunath, Additional Professor in the Surgery Department at AIIMS Delhi, highlighted the growing challenge of uncontrolled diabetes in India, a country already known as the diabetes capital of the world. Millions of patients continue to battle dangerously high blood sugar levels even after long-term medication, putting them at risk of severe complications such as kidney failure, heart attacks, strokes, loss of vision, and limb amputations.

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Over the past 15 months, AIIMS surgeons have performed metabolic surgery on around 35 patients suffering from uncontrolled Type-2 diabetes and obesity, achieving promising results. Following the procedure, many patients experienced marked improvements in blood sugar control from the very first day, with several able to stop diabetes medications altogether.

Metabolic surgery works by altering the digestive system to improve how the body manages glucose. During the procedure, surgeons reduce the size of the stomach and connect it to the small intestine, which triggers hormonal changes, including the release of key hormones like GLP-1 that help regulate blood sugar levels more effectively.

Dr Manjunath explained that the treatment is especially valuable for patients whose HbA1C is persistently more than 7.5. He noted that metabolic surgery is now internationally recognised as a valid treatment option for selected cases of uncontrolled Type-2 diabetes in patients with obesity.

The surgery, which typically takes around two hours and may involve laparoscopic or robotic techniques, is generally recommended for adults between 18 and 65 years of age. In private hospitals in India, the procedure can cost between ₹3 lakh and ₹6 lakh, although AIIMS Delhi offers treatment free of cost.

Doctors stress that while metabolic surgery is not a first-line therapy, it can be transformative for patients who have exhausted conventional treatments, offering a new lifeline to people struggling with severe, uncontrolled diabetes for a long duration.