The Future of Vagus Nerve Surgeries

Image via West End Wellness

US obesity rates have tripled in the last sixty years, making the United States the 12th highest country on obesity charts, with 41.4% of adults over 20 years old declared obese. Modern studies reference extreme weight loss plans and unhealthy diets as a leading cause of obesity–unrealistic goals in a short amount of time often cause individuals to fall victim to popular medical scams and harmful medications.

As the country continues to normalize rapid weight loss treatment, many US Americans end up resorting to unethical surgeries and expensive liposuctions, potentially creating many more health issues in the future. In a push to discover additional solutions, American doctors delved deeper into the human body, selecting the vagus nerve as their next target.

The vagus nerve originates in the brain stem and extends to the abdomen. Its primary responsibilities include regulating blood pressure, breathing, and digestion. Per its functions, vagal nerve therapy and alterations remain controversial, yet studies deem its usage effective.

This nerve’s potent properties allow surgeons to operate on morbidly obese individuals before experimenting with safer, tested medications. The operation follows a procedure beginning with a medial incision on the posterior side of the patient’s body, allowing the retractor to draw open the exposed area. Surgeons begin performing a selective vagotomy–shaving off slivers of the vagus nerve–to reduce the connections between the stomach and brain.

Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) are common procedures that contribute to substantial weight loss. Although these surgeries don't affect the patient’s digestive anatomy, the risks can outweigh the benefits and may result in internal bleeding and elevated blood pressure while decreasing their morbidity. As this medical field is still developing, vagal nerve surgeries are only recommended for extreme cases of obesity.

As Americans view the benefits of this procedure, many are interested in getting it done themselves. The inability to feel hungry appeals to many influencers and models willing to accept the risks to experience the benefits. Doctors claim that operating on the wrong audiences may result in malnourishment and, in severe cases, death. However, some clinics offer vagal nerve surgeries to all individuals–projecting a nuanced and flawed concept to all Americans.

Society today encourages weight loss to be rapid, restricting people from eating more than a daily snack and requiring an exaggerated amount of exercise. The risks of unethical surgeries and spreading unreal body expectations should be considered. Maintaining a nutritional diet and getting sufficient exercise while prioritizing the long-term benefits of manual weight loss is healthier and proven to be far more rewarding than any surgical procedure.