Dr. Sarfaraz Jalil Baig, Author at Digestive Surgery Clinic

Feb 10 Comments Off

A Brief Guide to Gastric Reflux (GERD)

Posted by Dr. Sarfaraz Jalil Baig

Gastric Reflux (GERD) refers to the regurgitation of acid stomach contents into the esophagus. The most common clinical manifestation of GERD is heartburn and acid regurgitation.

Symptoms of GERD includes heartburn, difficult or painful swallowing, sour taste in the mouth and frequent belching. Less typical features include chronic cough, hoarseness, sore throat and a sensation of fullness.

Obesity is thought to be a potential predisposing factor to gastro-esophageal reflux. Maintenance of ideal weight may help in reducing the symptoms.

Diet and nutrition are key factors for those who suffer from acid reflux or gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD), a severe, chronic form of acid reflux. One can prevent or relieve your symptoms from gastro esophageal reflux (GER) or gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD) by changing ones diet. One may need to avoid certain foods and drinks that make the symptoms worse. Other dietary changes that can help reduce symptoms include decreasing fatty foods, eating small, frequent meals instead of three large meals and avoiding very spicy food.

Seema Poddar
DSC – Nutritionist

Jun 13 Comments Off

The Basic Concept of Nutrition From A Nutritionist’s Desk!

Posted by Dr. Sarfaraz Jalil Baig

Very late in the day I realized that Nutrition was my calling. As all women I suffered midlife crisis with ample time on my hands
and nothing meaningful to do. I do not have an inspiring story about astonishing weight loss or a dramatic before after scenario. But I was passionate about food and eating. I also truly believed health is wealth and I know this sounds quite contradictory. Once I started my studies all my doubts began to clear and I realized that in the world of medicine and nutrition, nothing can be the gospel truth. New researches and Studies are being conducted everyday and what was unhealthy yesterday could be healthy today.

Earlier I was completely unaware of the basic concepts of nutrition as most people are. We always confused with caloric intake without knowing the difference between healthy, nutritious calories and unhealthy calories. For e.g.- people will consume all kind of junk and unhealthy food but if you tell them to consume a piece of cheese, the classic response would be “ohh but isn’t that fattening?” People consume samosas and other fried food in recycled spoiled oil or puchkas with the most unhygienic water but if u ask them to consume a protein supplement the first question they would ask is does it have any side effects?

In whichever little way if I can change people’s mindset I would feel I have achieved my purpose and I have been extremely lucky to have excellent teachers and mentors.

Neeta Dey

DSC – Nutritionist

Feb 10 Comments Off

Intermittent Fasting for Fat Loss

Posted by Dr. Sarfaraz Jalil Baig

Fasting has been an integral part on all religion. Our forefathers have practiced fasting on a regular basis. Monks eat food sparingly, once or twice a day which helps them to attain a longer and healthy life. Though intermittent fasting has been an integral part of our culture and civilization, but we are following it now as it has gone to west and come back. Like most aspects of life, we prefer to imitate the western civilization.

Intermittent fasting is a very scientific approach which can be practiced in several forms.

Most common of them is 16:8 , that is fasting for 16 hours a day and eating your food for only 8 hours. In this method we generally take the night 8 hours sleeping time into consideration and fast for 4 hours before sleeping as well as 4 hours after getting up. During this fasting window one is allowed to consume water, black tea or coffee without sugar or with stevia.

Research has proved that intermittent fasting is an excellent dieting tool or pattern for fat loss. It also promotes loss of visceral fat.

Initially an individual might feel dizzy or weak during the fasting window but like any other habit in life one gets used to it over time. We must understand that intermittent fasting is not a diet but a diet pattern. One has consume his / her required calorie through macro-nutrients but follow the pattern of intermittent fasting.

Other fasting methods can be 20:4, that is fasting for 20 hours and eating for 4 hours.

One can also follow that fasting technique or eating only when clock strikes 12 noon.

Some people also follow that practice of 5:2

That is eating a very high calorie meal for 5 days in a week and fasting for 2 days. The fasting days are never consecutive. In this way, they are able to keep their total calorie intake for a week under control. Though this method can be a little extreme for most people.

Another advantage of intermittent fasting is, that one doesn’t have to think a lot about what to eat throughout the day and can use that time and energy towards productive purposes.

Nov 10 Comments Off

TAR Comes as Blessing for The People Suffering from Severe Hernia

Posted by Dr. Sarfaraz Jalil Baig

New surgery (TAR) for failed hernia repair gives new life to frustrated patients.

Hernia surgery has undergone a sea of change. The surgery depends on the hernia. It is no longer acceptable to treat all hernias by one strategy.

Although smaller defects can be managed laparoscopically (with tiny holes in the abdomen) with ease, Complex Hernias– failed hernia repairs (sometimes 5-6 times), very big gaps and poor condition of overlying skin are best treated by a surgery called TAR. This surgery has given new life to some frustrated patients where conventional surgery is doomed to fail.

This technique is unique in the sense that it covers the entire weak abdomen with a mesh and also restores the functionality of the abdominal muscles better than any other procedure. Plainly put, a mesh cannot behave like normal human tissue and may interfere with normal movement of the abdomen. This is in contrast to TAR where the defect is closed with the mobilised muscles of the patient and hence the patient is able to perform movements at the torso level more efficiently.

For patients and surgeons struggling to repair difficult hernias, TAR procedure for hernia is the right option. As with all advanced procedures, it should be performed only by experts for optimum results

Jul 19 Comments Off

Transversus Abdominis Release – Treatment for Large Hernia Defect

Posted by Dr. Sarfaraz Jalil Baig

I am sure once in a while you stumble into a large defect hernia that fails to all the conventional repair.

It’s frustrating!

Typically, these hernias have huge lateral displacement of the rectus abdominis and a consequent contraction thus making it impossible to reinforce the midline or perform safe mesh placement. Add to it the collagen weakness and an obese patient, and the possibility of failure looms large.

These hernias would not be served well with a laparoscopic hernioplasty because of a high failure rate and mesh expulsion. Neither would an open onlay hernioplasty serve due to high wound complications. Retromuscular Stoppa repair may bridge the defect but is unlikely to approximate the midline.

In these circumstances a posterior component separation technique with transversus abdominis release (TAR) would be a great alternative. The surgery has become increasingly popular in recent times due to its efficacy and decreased wound complication rate.

Here is how we do it!

Jun 14 Comments Off

Laparoscopic Ventral Hernia Repair – Overcoming Incisional Hernia

Posted by Dr. Sarfaraz Jalil Baig

Hernia surgery is undergoing continuous change in technique to improve results and to meet high expectations of the patient.

No more is one surgery held as treatment for all and neither is one technique. Each case is evaluated and strategy tailor made. Thus, we now perform open Stoppa repair, component separation procedure, laparoscopic IPOM to name a few. In some cases, a prior weight loss surgery (bariatric surgery) is even done to optimise results.

Here is a case of post pelvic surgery incisional hernia which had been repaired 3 times by open technique. We repaired it laparoscopically.

Some of the critical steps of the procedure that are crucial to good outcome such as careful adhesiolysis, raising of peritoneal flaps, suture closure of the defect, large mesh and strategic fixations are shown.

Watch the video right here:

All posts by Dr. Sarfaraz Jalil Baig

Seema Poddar DSC – Nutritionist

Neeta Dey

DSC – Nutritionist

Hernia surgery is undergoing continuous change in technique to improve results and to meet high expectations of the patient.

Seema Poddar
DSC – Nutritionist