What are the main surgical risks associated with high visceral fat, according to Dr Pankaj Sharma?

Dr. Sharma states high visceral fat increases risks of complex anaesthesia, bleeding, poor wound healing, infections, and cardiac complications during surgery.

How does bariatric surgery help with visceral fat and surgical safety?

Bariatric surgery effectively targets and reduces visceral fat, improving metabolic health, immune function, and significantly lowering future surgical risks.

Can visceral fat impact heart function before surgery?

Yes, high visceral fat strains the heart, making it work harder and increasing vulnerability to complications during the stress of surgery.

Home / Health / Visceral Fat: Your Silent Surgical Saboteur

Visceral Fat: Your Silent Surgical Saboteur

16 Dec, 2025

•

Summary

Visceral fat significantly complicates surgeries, increasing risks and hindering recovery.
High visceral fat impairs anaesthesia, raises bleeding risks, and slows wound healing.
Bariatric surgery effectively targets visceral fat, improving metabolic health and safety.

Visceral Fat: Your Silent Surgical Saboteur

Visceral fat, often described as "fog inside the abdomen," presents critical challenges for surgical procedures. Its presence increases the risk of injury, complicates anaesthesia due to respiratory pathway narrowing, and raises the likelihood of bleeding because of fragile blood vessels. Furthermore, this biologically active fat releases inflammatory chemicals that impede wound healing and elevate the risk of infections.

This internal fat also places a considerable burden on the cardiovascular system, forcing the heart to work harder and increasing vulnerability to arrhythmias and blood pressure fluctuations during surgery. Surgeons face reduced visibility and mobility, making procedures more complex and potentially leading to less successful outcomes. Obesity, with its high visceral fat component, is now recognized as a disease.