Pune: Doctors at Manipal Hospital, Kharadi successfully performed bariatric surgery on a 12-year-old girl from Pune weighing 106 kg. The girl had experienced significant weight gain over the past three years, severely impacting her ability to walk and posing serious health risks.
Despite her family doctor’s recommendations for dietary changes, portion control, and regular exercise, the girl's weight continued to rise. Consulting an endocrinologist also proved ineffective, as she experienced severe nausea and vomiting from the prescribed medications.
With her condition worsening, Dr. Sudhir Jadhav, Consultant in Bariatric and Minimally Invasive Surgery at Manipal Hospital Kharadi, and his team decided to perform a Sleeve Gastrectomy. This decision came after thorough investigations and consultations with pediatricians, an endocrinologist, and a physician.
Bariatric surgery encompasses a variety of procedures designed to help individuals with extreme obesity lose weight. Sleeve gastrectomy, one of the most common types, involves reducing the size of the stomach to limit food intake and promote weight loss.
Dr. Sudhir Jadhav explained, “For a child of her age, a healthy weight range is between 40 kg to 45 kg. Despite efforts with diet and exercise, traditional methods failed to work for her.
Therefore, we opted for Sleeve Gastrectomy, which reduces the stomach size and limits food intake, resulting in weight loss. Post-surgery, we are monitoring her condition regularly. She has successfully reduced her weight from 106 kg to 86 kg in three months and is returning to a normal life.”
Her mother shared the challenges her daughter faced, saying, “Since the age of 5, my daughter's weight kept increasing. By 9, she weighed 60 kg and struggled with activities like running and walking. She was bullied at school due to her excess weight.
We tried various weight-loss methods, but nothing worked. After the surgery, her weight reduced by 20 kg, her health improved, and she even got her menstrual cycle. My daughter is now doing well, and we hope she will live a normal life like other children her age."