As discussed in our previous blog, patients are required to follow a specific preoperative diet to shrink the size of the liver. Here at the Brisbane Obesity Clinic our patients use Optifast which is a nutritionally balanced dietary replacement program. This product is formulated to provide sufficient proteins, vitamins, minerals, fibre and other dietary requirements that the body needs. This product is preferred by the surgeon as it is the only scientifically proven product to shrink the size of the liver prior to surgery.
Why is Optifast different from other products such as Optislim, Tony Ferguson and Isowhey?
While Optifast is a complete dietary replacement, other brands of ‘weight loss shakes’ are simply meal replacements. It is important to note that these alternate products do not have any scientific research proving their ability to reduce the size of the liver. Unlike other products which can cost hundreds of dollars, Optifast is affordable and can usually be picked up at a bargain price from your local Chemist Warehouse. We strongly recommend using the Optifast pre-surgical protocol to ensure that your liver is small enough on the day of your procedure and enable your procedure to go ahead as planned. As mentioned in our previous blog, failure to shrink the size of the liver prior to surgery can; increase the technical difficulty involved in the laparoscopic procedure, increase the retraction difficulty of the liver and reduce the operating space.
What does that mean to you as a patient?
If your liver is too large on the day of your operation this may result in the procedure being abandoned. This is especially important for self-funding patients who will be liable for the costs associated with this failed procedure and the hospital admission.
Please Note: Brisbane Obesity Clinic does not have any product endorsements or affiliations with Optifast. This article is for education purposes only.
