Bariatric surgery is performed on people who are obese and can’t lose weight no matter what they do. These people may even be at the point where they are contracting weight-related disorders such as type 2 diabetes or sleep apnea. There are several bariatric surgeries, and each one restricts the amount of food the person can eat at one time, leading to rapid weight loss.
Who is a Candidate for Bariatric Surgery?
Besides being unable to lose weight, a candidate for weight loss surgery weighs more than 100 pounds over what is considered their ideal weight. They have a BMI, or body mass index, that’s over a certain amount or have a body mass index over a select amount with co-morbidities.
Gastric Bypass
One of the most effective of the weight loss surgeries is the gastric bypass. It is also called the Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass. In this surgery, the doctor removes some of the stomach until all that is left is a pouch that holds only about an ounce of food. Part of the small intestine is also targeted. The bottom end is connected to the pouch, and the top end is connected further down to the rest of the small intestine. This lets the gastric juices from the larger portion of the stomach enter the small intestine and digest the food.
This operation lets the patient lose from 60 to 80 percent of their weight and lets them maintain their new weight for a long time. Because it alters the functioning of a hormone called ghrelin, which is made in the larger part of the stomach, the patient feels full after eating a small amount of food.
Sleeve Gastrectomy
In this operation, the stomach is removed until it resembles a sleeve that is not much wider in diameter than the small intestine. Since as much as 80 percent of the patients’ stomach is taken away, ghrelin and other hormones are also affected. The result is that the patient is satiated quickly, and their blood sugar is kept under control. Because of this, the sleeve gastrectomy is especially good at controlling type 2 diabetes.
Adjustable Gastric Band
Of the bariatric surgery procedures mentioned, only the adjustable gastric band is reversible. It works by placing an adjustable band around the top of the stomach, which creates a pouch. The small size of the pouch makes the person feel full quickly, and the band regulates how quickly the food passes into the rest of the stomach. The band itself can be adjusted through a port the surgeon places under the patient’s skin. It takes some time to adjust the band until it is right for the patient. Another advantage of the gastric band is that because the stomach is still intact, food eventually enters it and is digested normally.
Visit Us for More Information
If you are very overweight but can’t seem to shed pounds, and if you believe your weight is contributing to other disorders such as high blood pressure or diabetes, schedule a consultation at the Orlando Center for Metabolic & Obesity Surgery in Altamonte Springs. Contact us today to book an appointment and get all the facts about bariatric surgery!
