Diabetes, despite being the most prevalent disease, in most countries is not given sufficient importance, either because "does not kill" or because "it does not hurt."However, diabetes is considered one of the most complex diseases, both because it injures all the organs of our body (heart, kidney, eyes, limbs, etc.) and because it is responsible for the high mortality rates that these patients suffer from.

In Spain, the figures speak for themselves: there are 6 million and, in the last year, the prevalence has increased by 33.41% in adults.Experts say that if it is not taken seriously, with policies that foster healthy life and exercise, in 2035 they will be twice: 5.1 million patients, as many as the inhabitants of the Valencian Community.

And in this little hopeful universe, it was where Dr. Carlos Ballesta, head of the Obesity and Diabetes Unit of the Ruber International Hospital and Pioneer in Spain to operate obesity with laparoscopy, discovered the "master connection."

"We saw that approximately half of the patients with morbid obesity were diabetic, and that when we operated they were cured," summarizes.

«Of the surgical techniques that were to treat obesity, those that acted on the stomach cured just over 50%, on the intestine (Gastric By Pass) an 87% and, when the most distal part of the intestine was reached, the most distal part of the intestine, thewhich is attached to the colon, the healing was 97%».

Metabolic surgery

And voilà, there began a new path as hopeful as unexpected for diabetics: that of healing.«The results of diabetes surgery are extraordinary;For each point that descends blood glygose hemoglobin, reduces the risk of mortality, suffering a myocardial infarction or risk of amputations, ”says the specialist.

«For this, an operation is performed, called metabolic surgery, which acts on the digestive tract area where all hormones that induce insulin metabolism intervene.This is so to the point that if liposuction is performed, the patient loses weight but does not heals from diabetes ».

The intervention is performed by laparoscopy, without aggression and without making large scars to the patient, so he has little risk and the patient is discharged from hospital at 48-72 hours of being performed.

Ballesta is a reference: it has more than 3,000 surgeries and all the centers that carry out this intervention in Spain do it according to the technique he implemented.

Who?

And what is the profile of the patient that is heal?«All those who have an BMI greater than 35 or that with an excess weight of 30 kg are diabetic, hypertensive or suffer from a disease that is aggravated by excess weight, such as the hernia of disc (column) or infarction ofMyocardium, stent, etc., are patients indicated for this surgery, aimed at healing diabetes and those diseases of metabolism that accompany it and that sooner or later, they will produce the death or inability of the one who suffers them, ”says Dr.Crossbow.

The case of Andrés

These advances happened in another universe, while Andrés Raya, from Barcelona, ​​was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus 2 to 56 years.While science advanced, he was getting worse.Leg sores, a damaged kidney, tension and cholesterol through the clouds and 80 daily insulin units. "It was a carcamal, a ballast for my family and my life was constant suffering," he summarizes.

«If I went for a walk, it had to be for a known place where I knew there were banks every few meters, because I couldn't stand walking without stopping.Without having ever drunk or smoking, I was as if I had lived 100 lives, I had no energy, ”he adds.Andrés was a clear example of the millions of people who live daily with this disease.

AGood morning, chatting with a relative the subject came out and she said "Andrés, in Barcelona operate with diabetes."He did not give credit, "But if the diabetes has no cure?" He replied.That day his life was going to start changing.

«When I went to my endocrine for periodic review at six months after the intervention I did not believe it, in fact 'Andrés told me, I am sorry to have wasting time, they have been wrong in the results because they leave as if you had never had diabetes'.When I told it, I didn't give credit, ”he says.

«I am a new person, I have gone from being a ballast in my house to be the family engine again.I live with my wife and one of my daughters and my granddaughter and the joy that my healing has given them compensates for everything we have spent together.