What You Should Know About Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery

By Sarah Johnson


Lifestyle changes are the most widely recommended options for weight loss in New York. The major advantage that these methods have over other options are that they are cheap and devoid of side effects. The main downside is that it takes a considerable amount of time before their beneficial effects are evident. Bariatric weight loss surgery is usually the most effective approach if one intends to lose a significant proportion of their weight in a short period of time.

Bariatric surgical operations are also known as restrictive operations. This is because they generally work by limiting the amount of food that the stomach can hold at any given point in time. Less nutrients are delivered to the body tissues. Most of these nutrients are used in the provision of energy with very few calories ending up as stored fat. The end result is rapid loss of weight.

Gastric banding and sleeve gastrectomy are the main forms of bariatric operations offered in most centers. There is a difference in the manner in which each of them is performed but the effect is largely the same (both result in a significant reduction in the stomach volume). The main difference between them is that gastric banding can be reversed while sleeve gastrectomy cannot.

Gastric banding is performed by placing a silicon based band on the stomach upper portion (also known as fundus). This is achieved through minimal surgical access using an instrument known as a laparoscope. The incisions made are quite small hence there is rarely any need to worry about excessive bleeding or unsightly scars later on. The lower stomach portion forms a small pouch whose capacity is about an ounce of food.

The silicon band is connected to a long plastic tube that can be easily accessed from an area under the skin. By injecting and withdrawing saline or sterile water into the tube, the pressure that is exerted by the band can be regulated. Injecting the saline into the tube increases the pressure which effectively reduces the size of the stomach further. The reverse happens when the saline is withdrawn.

There are a number of complications that may result from this operation. Those that are encountered most commonly include nausea, vomiting, aversion to food, bleeding and infections. Some of the symptoms can be relieved by adjusting the compression exerted by the band. Once the symptoms have subsided, the pressure can be increased gradually once more to reduce the stomach to the desired size.

Sleeve gastrectomy involves surgical resection of the stomach with the aim of reducing its size. After the operation only 20 to 25% is left. The structure that is left is more tubular which reduces the transit time of food. Reduced absorption of nutrients, therefore, occurs due to two main reasons: the increased transit time and the reduced intake of food. Side effects here are similar to those of banding.

Recovery from the operations typically takes a few weeks. A liquid diet is recommended for about two weeks after which you can resume your normal diet. Results vary from one patient to another depending on a number of factors that include the initial weight, surgical skills of your doctor, technique employed and so on. Combining the surgery with lifestyle options achieves even better results.




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