Available Bariatric Surgery Options For Patients With Obesity
Obesity is a leading health issue affecting many Americans. Dieting and exercising in weight loss programs are primarily the main ways of losing weight and managing obesity. However, some patients cannot use dieting and exercise because of health complications or body type. Thus, individuals who cannot lose weight through dieting and exercising have an option in weight loss surgery. Weight loss surgery (also called bariatric surgery) is an effective treatment option for obesity and has numerous benefits. Some types of weight loss surgery focus on managing food intake, while others focus on managing metabolism and nutrient absorption. Below are three types of weight loss surgery that patients can receive upon advice from a certified surgeon.
Option #1: Gastric Bypass
Gastric bypass surgery is one of the common weight-loss surgeries offered globally. A gastric bypass procedure aims to reduce the amount of food a patient can hold in one eating session before feeling full while also inducing malabsorption. Malabsorption reduces nutrients intake, managing a person's weight gain over time. A surgeon performs this type of weight loss surgery by making an incision across the top of a patient's stomach and separating the top section to form a pouch. The surgeon attaches the patient's small intestines to the pouch directly, preventing food from traveling through all parts of the stomach. This weight loss surgery helps patients manage their diet and lose weight timely.
Option #2: Sleeve Gastrectomy
Sleeve gastrectomy is a restrictive weight loss surgery that aims to limit an obese patient's food intake. However, unlike in a gastric bypass, the surgeon does not sew and join the small intestines to a small pouch. Instead, the surgeon carefully inspects the stomach and divides its surrounding blood vessels. The surgeon inserts a bougie tube to act as a sizer for the patient's new stomach before completely dividing and removing a portion of the patient's stomach. As such, the weight loss surgery reduces a patient's stomach size, lowering their food intake.
Option #3: Gastric Banding
Gastric banding is a weight loss surgery that involves placing an adjustable band made from silicone around a patient's upper stomach. Unlike sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass that are permanent weight loss surgeries, gastric banding is adjustable. A surgeon adjusts the tightness of the silicone band to the patient's liking to fit the amount of food one holds. Thus, obese patients hoping to lose weight and who are struggling to achieve their ideal weight using dieting, nutrition, and exercises should consult their surgeon to find out if they are candidates for this type of weight loss surgery.
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