Bariatric Surgery
Changes to your digestive system are made during gastric bypass and other weight-loss procedures, which are generally referred to as bariatric surgery. When diet and exercise have failed or when you are experiencing severe health issues as a result of your weight, bariatric surgery is performed. Your ability to consume more is restricted by some procedures. Other treatments work by making it harder for the body to receive nutrients. Some techniques perform both.
To ensure the long-term success of bariatric surgery, you must also permanently alter your diet and engage in regular exercise.
Causes For The Surgery
Bariatric surgery is done to help you lose excess weight and reduce your risk of potentially life-threatening weight-related health problems, including:
- Heart disease and stroke
- High blood pressure
- Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) or Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH)
- Sleep apnea
- Type 2 diabetes
Bariatric surgery is typically done only after you’ve tried to lose weight by improving your diet and exercise habits.
Who Can Get A Bariatric Surgery
In general, bariatric surgery could be an option for you if:
Your body mass index (BMI), which is considered excessive obesity, is 40 or higher. You have an obesity-related serious health issue, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or severe sleep apnea, and your BMI is between 35 and 39.9, which is considered obese. If your BMI is between 30 and 34 and you have major weight-related health issues, you might be eligible for some types of weight-loss surgery.
Types Of Bariatric Surgery
Here’s a look at common types of bariatric surgery:
Roux-en-Y gastric bypass
The majority of stomach bypasses are performed using the same technique. Usually, this procedure is irreversible. It functions by limiting the amount of food you can consume at one time and lowering nutrient absorption. The top of the stomach is separated from the bottom of the stomach by a cut made by an experienced surgeon. Only about an ounce of food can fit in the resulting bag, which is roughly the size of a walnut. The stomach can typically contain three pints of food. The doctor will then partially cut the small intestine and sew it onto the pouch. Once food enters this little gastric pouch, it immediately moves on to the small intestine that is connected to it. Food bypasses the majority of the stomach and the first part of the small intestine and enters the small intestine directly from the mouth.
Sleeve gastrectomy
Sleeve gastrectomy is the removal or separation of the stomach or any part of the stomach. By removing about 80% of the stomach during a sleeve gastrectomy, a lengthy, tube-like pouch is left behind. Due to this, there will only be less room for food in this smaller stomach. Additionally, it produces less Ghrelin, a hormone that controls appetite, which may reduce the urge to eat. This procedure has benefits like substantial weight loss and no intestine rerouting. Additionally, compared to most other procedures, a sleeve gastrectomy needs a shorter hospital stay.
Biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch
In the first stage of this two-part operation, a sleeve gastrectomy-like procedure is carried out. Bypassing the majority of the intestine, the second surgery (duodenal switch and biliopancreatic diversion) connects the end part of the intestine to the duodenum close to the stomach. This procedure both restricts how much you can consume and decreases nutrient absorption. Although it is very efficient, there are higher risks associated with it, such as malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies.
