Bariatric Surgery
Bariatric surgery or a Weight Loss surgery is collectively performed with many other weight loss procedures and making changes to the digestive system that aims to lose weight.
Bariatric surgery is the last resort of weight loss when all the diet and the exercises fail to achieve in losing weight or people who have health issues in losing weight. Bariatric surgery is an approach to find many benefits, at the same time all forms of weight-loss surgery possess potential risks and complications.
Key Benefits of Bariatric Surgery
Bariatric surgery is done to lose excess weight and aims in reducing the potential complications even minimizing the risks of life-threatening weight-related diseases such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, and Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
However, bariatric surgery is only considered after natural weight loss remedies such as diet and exercise fail to achieve desirable results.
Best Candidates for Bariatric Surgery
Bariatric Surgery is performed for those individuals who have body mass index (BMI) of more than 40 or higher. If you are obese (BMI is 35 to 39.9), and you have serious health issues such as heart-related ailments, high blood pressure, or sleep apnea, then you may qualify for bariatric surgery. In some cases, even if your BMI is 30 to 34, on certain conditions, you may qualify for weight-loss surgery.
Preparing for Liposuction Procedure
Before initiating the liposuction procedure, your plastic surgeon doctor will discuss with you about your expectations and provide you with a detail explanation. Your doctor would review the past medical history. Certain tests are recommended by your plastic surgeon doctor to ensure if the body is ideally fit for the procedure. The doctor advises you to stop certain medications like painkillers and aspirins for a few days before the surgery. Also, smoking and alcohol consumption must be avoided as it may impair the healing process post-surgery.
Preparing for the Bariatric Surgery
Consulting with the right doctor is always better for you to get the best advice and appropriate treatment options for bariatric surgery. You may have to undergo diagnose, certain lab tests, and examinations before the surgery. Your doctor will recommend you to restrict some eating habits, drinking, and certain medications. You may also advise to stop physical activities, exercises, and also avoid consumption of any form of tobacco.
Bariatric Surgery Procedure
Most of the weight loss surgeries are performed using minimally invasive methods with general anesthesia. However, the right technique is delivered based on the individual condition and diagnosing.
The bariatric surgery procedure can be performed using the open technique where small incisions are made in the abdomen or laparoscopic method, during which small incisions in the abdomen are made through a guided surgical instrument.
Today, most of the bariatric or weight-loss surgeries are performed using the laparoscopic method, as it requires minimal cuts, faster recovery than open surgery method, and it has fewer complications post-surgery.
Types of Bariatric Surgeries
The most common procedures involving in bariatric surgery include Gastric Bypass, Sleeve Gastrectomy, Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch, and Adjustable Gastric Band. Each of these methods has certain advantages and disadvantages. In some methods, it is required to follow a strict diet, and in other treatments absorbing the intake of nutrients is very much necessary.
Gastric Bypass Surgery
The Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass, often known as gastric bypass, is a type of surgery, which is considered as a ‘gold standard’ of weight loss surgery technique.
Gastric bypass is a part of weight-loss treatment by modifying the stomach and a portion of a small intestine by dividing the intestine to handle the food to eat. The small intestine is brought and connected to the newly created stomach pouch that breaks down the food. Due to this, the body minimizes the absorption of the nutrition calories of the food to eat.
In gastric bypass surgery, the surgeon will use staples to divide your stomach into two sections – a small upper section and a larger bottom section. The top section of the stomach known as the pouch is where the food you eat will deposit. It is about the size of the walnut, and it holds up to 1 ounce of food.
Another treatment option is the bypass surgery, where your surgeon will connect a small portion of the small intestine called the jejunum to a small hole in the stomach pouch. The food will now travel from the pouch to the new opening of your small intestine. Due to this, the body will consume only a reduced quantity of nutrition calories.
Gastric Bypass Surgery Results
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The surgery is a very good method for those who want to have significant long-term weight loss (60 to 80 percent excess weight loss).
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It reduces the number of calories and increases energy.
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The surgery is an excellent resolution for all health-related problems linked to obesity.
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The doctor will prescribe you to have a diet plan and certain exercises post-surgery.
You will be also be informed about the potential risks and complications with gastric bypass surgery. However, you need to strictly follow both pre-and-post surgery instructions.
Sleeve Gastrectomy
The Sleeve Gastrectomy is also known as Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy, which is performed to remove approximately 80 percent of the stomach, leaving the remaining stomach with a long tubular pouch.
In this type of procedure, the doctor will make 2 or 3 incisions in the abdomen. Your surgeon will then pass the laparoscope and the surgical instruments that are needed to perform the Sleeve Gastrectomy through these openings. Then, your surgeon will monitor the entire belly through a camera connected to a video monitor. Thin surgical instruments are inserted through the other openings. Your surgeon will then remove about 80% of the stomach. The surgical staples are used to join together the remaining portions of the stomach. This creates a smaller stomach, which is like the shape of a banana.
However, the surgery will not involve cutting or changing of the sphincter muscles that allows food to enter or leave the stomach.
The entire procedure takes about 1 to 2 hours with an experienced doctor.
Immediately after the surgery, appointments slots are given by your doctor to monitor the time-to-time progress. Strictly follow both pre- and -post-surgery instructions by your surgeon for better results.
Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch
The Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch is also widely abbreviated as the BPD/DS, which is a procedure conducted with a two-method surgery. In the first step, it is similar to sleeve gastrectomy, where a small tubular stomach pouch is removed, and the larger portion of the small intestine is bypassed.
In the second procedure, the biliopancreatic diversion with a duodenal switch is performed for the remaining part of the stomach that is connected to the lower portion of the small intestine. This type of surgery is at a very high-risk and has future health problems for the long-term as your body will have difficulty in absorbing food and nutrients.
Those who have undergone this surgery must take additional vitamin and mineral supplements for the rest of their lives. The procedure requires a hospital stay for a few days. Additionally, long-term follow-up is needed post-surgery, and you will be under monitor by your doctor to check your progress.
Adjustable Gastric Band
In this procedure, it involves the surgical placement of an inflatable band placed around the upper part of the stomach by creating a small pouch just above the band. This will slow the limit of the food and can be consumed at one time. The gastric band is the least invasive surgery, and it is fully reversible with another phase of keyhole operation.
The gastric banding is a minimally invasive surgery and is fully reversible, with another keyhole operation. It is performed by using laparoscopic surgery. In this type of surgery, it usually takes short hospital stays, and the recovery rate is faster. Small scars and mild pain are some of the side-effects. Since no part of the stomach is stapled or removed, the patient’s intestines are not re-routed. Hence, he/she can continue to absorb nutrients from food normally.
