Procedures
Operations to treat morbid obesity are designed to help extremely obese people lose weight, so that coexisting health problems can be diminished or eliminated and quality of life can be improved. These are not cosmetic operations. The decision to undergo an operation should be made with great deal of thought and research. This is a life-altering decision with many benefits and risks that need to be individually weighed. Many times bariatric surgery is made to sound simple and easy. The operations often do have relatively short recovery times due to the minimally invasive techniques used these days, but having weight loss surgery is not without risk and complications. It still requires significant dedication and commitment by the patient and the surgical team.
It is important to understand that surgery is not a cure for obesity but rather a tool for you to use to control this disease. When performed carefully and used properly weight-loss surgery is a tool that has been proven to lead to successful, long-term weight reduction and an extended life.
Gastric Bypass Surgery
The most common form of gastric bypass surgery is Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery uses a combination of restriction and malabsorption. During the procedure, the surgeon creates a smaller stomach pouch. The surgeon then attaches a Y-shaped section of the small intestine directly to the pouch. This allows food to bypass a large portion of the small intestine, which absorbs calories and nutrients. Having the smaller stomach pouch causes patients to feel fuller sooner and eat less food; bypassing a portion of the small intestine means the patient’s body absorbs fewer calories.
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Gastric Banding
Gastric banding is a restrictive surgical procedure. During this procedure, two medical devices are implanted in the patient: a silicone band and an injection port. The silicone band is placed around the upper part of the stomach and molds the stomach into two connected chambers. The injection port is attached to the abdominal wall, underneath the skin. The port is connected to the band with soft, thin tubing. The band is adjustable. Adjustments are made by your healthcare professional using a needle to inject saline solution into your band through the port. Adding saline increases the amount of restriction provided by the band, helping patients feel fuller sooner and with less food.
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Sleeve Gastrectomy Surgery
The Sleeve gastrectomy is a procedure that involves removal of a majority of the greater curve of the stomach. This a non-adjustable, fixed restrictive procedure the can significantly reduce the amount of food that you can eat, thereby causing weight loss. In addition to the restrictive ability of this procedure, there is scientific evidence that shows that this part of the stomach that is removed is responsible for producing a hormone called ghrelin that acts on the brain to make you hungry. After sleeve gastrectomy, this hormone is significantly reduced, and patients may have a significantly decrease desire to eat.
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Bilopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch Surgery
The biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch (BPD) was first performed by Dr. Scopinaro in 1979 in Italy. It is the most malabsorptive procedure approved by the FDA, leaving only 100-150 cm of small intestine left for absorption.
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