What You Should Know About Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery

By Sarah Johnson


A number of methods can be used to achieve weight loss. The most widely used options in New York involve the making of lifestyle changes including the adoption of healthier diets and engagement in regular physical exercise. These methods are safe and effective for a majority of people. Their main undoing is the fact that they take too long to work and may not be appropriate if one needs to shade off a significant proportion of their weight rapidly. Bariatric weight loss surgery is often the option in such cases.

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.

The two main forms of bariatric operations are gastric banding and sleeve gastrectomy. Although the two are slightly different in the manner in which they are performed, the results are more or less the same. The main difference is that banding is a reversible procedure while gastrectomy is not. The major similarity is that both reduce the size of the stomach.

Gastric banding is usually performed using a laparoscope. It involves the placement of a band (silicon-based) to the upper stomach region so as to cause compression. The lower portion is converted into a small pouch that can hold an ounce of food or less. Laparoscopy makes it possible to conduct the operation through small incisions which leads to fewer complications and less prominent scars.

The band is usually continuous with a plastic tubing accessible from an area under the skin. The role of this tube is to help adjust the stomach size from time to time whenever the need arises. Injection of sterile water into the tubing increases the pressure on the stomach which in turn reduces the capacity even further. Drawing the water, on the other hand, releases the pressure and increases the capacity as a result.

This surgery is fairly safe but one should be aware of possible risks that exist. Nausea, vomiting, infections and aversion to food are among the most commonly encountered. Releasing the compression slightly by drawing a bit of saline from the tube helps relieve a number of these symptoms. The compression can then be restored slowly over tome to achieve the original stomach size.

Sleeve gastrectomy is a surgical operation involving resection of the stomach along its length. Between 75 and 80% is removed converting the organ into a tubular structure. Early satiety and reduced transit time in the stomach reduced the overall amount of nutrients absorbed. Side effects associated with this surgery are similar to those seen with the banding procedure.

Recovering from the operation takes just a few weeks. One can resume their regular diet after about two weeks. The results vary from one person to another due to a number of factors. These include the surgical technique used, the magnitude of the problem, complications and so on. To increase the chances of success, you will be well advised to adopt a change in lifestyle as well.




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