Types Of Weight-Loss Surgeries

Since the last decade, severe obesity has become one of the most profound issues across the globe. In India alone, statistics say that over 30 million people are obese. Not hundred, not thousand, but millions. And these extra flabs don’t limit themselves to flesh, they sink deep inside the body to bring about a thousand other problems alongwith including high cholesterol, diabetes, heart attacks, stroke and major cardiovascular diseases. This evidently gives us a strict call for action one of which can be weight-loss surgeries.

Weight-loss surgeries, commonly known as the bariatric surgeries utilize principles of gastric restriction, malabsorption or a combination of the two to reduce body weight thereby lowering the risk of many problems associated with it. There are mainly four kinds of weight-loss surgeries, each carrying its own procedure, pros and cons. Let’s look at them one at a time.

1. Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery
Often called as Gastric Bypass, this surgery is perhaps the best standard of bariatric surgeries.

Procedure
Gastric Bypass is executed in two parts. First, the stomach is divided in such a way that a small stomach pouch is created at its top leaving the rest of the stomach as it is. This pouch is approximately 30 millilitres in volume. After this, the top of small intestine is divided into two stems. The bottom stem of the intestine is connected to the pouch while the top one is connected to the bottom portion of the stomach.

So, when the pouch receives food, the food is directly bypassed to the small intestine which leads to less absorption of calories. Meanwhile, the larger portion of the stomach keeps on releasing digestive juices and acids that flow to the reattached intestine.

Advantages

1. The bypassing of food results in hormonal reverse mechanisms that further suppress hunger and reduce appetite thus leading to less food consumtion.
2. Significant percentage of weight loss, usually 60% to 80%
3. Long term sustainability
4. Maintenance and increase of energy production.

Disadvantages
1. Nutritional deficiencies.
2. Complications owing to a complicated surgical procedure
3. Long term bed rest
4. Side effects including depression and anxiety

2. Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding
This surgery, also known as the Lap Band Procedure employs the restrictive approach to weight loss. It uses a band, called Adjustable Gastric Band to limit the amount of calories a person consumes in a day.

Procedure
The adjustable gastric band is a silicone device comprising of an inflated balloon like device. In this procedure, after making incision through the belly button, the band is inserted at the top middle portion of the stomach dividing it into two parts. Next, a port is inserted under the skin of the abdomen and connected to the band via a tube. The top or the narrow portion of the stomach receives the food. This makes the person feel full after consuming a much smaller quantity of food. The feeling of full stomach depends on the size of opening between the two portions of the stomach.

Advantages
1. 40% to 50% weight loss
2. Involves no cutting or stitching of stomach
3. No Risk of nutritional deficiencies
4. Requires a hospital stay of merely a day or two at the most

Disadvantages
1. Slower weight loss
2. Foreign devices in the body can cause mechanical problems
3. Band erosion or band slipping
4. Dilation of esophagus in case of overeating
5. Strict Postoperative diet

3. Sleeve Gastrectomy
This surgical procedure involves removal of nearly 80% of the stomach that results in a smaller leftover stomach, called a sleeve.

Procedure
The procedure begins with a longitudinal resection of the stomach. The sleeve is calibrated with a bougie leaving a much smaller stomach usually the size of 150 mililitres.

Advantages
1. Reduces appetite.
2. Shorter hospital stay, usually a day or two
3. Favourable hormonal changes

Disadvantages
1. Non-reversible procedure
2. High complication rates
3. Long term nutritional deficiencies

4. Duodenal Switch With Biliopancreatic Diversion (BPD/DS)
BPD/DS is one of the most effective methods for diabetic patients. It combines two procedures. First a sleeve gastrectomy is carried out.

Procedure
After the sleeve stomach is created, the topmost portion of the small intestine is divided into two parts. The first part is connected to the opening of the sleeve. The other part is reconnected to this part of the intestine. This results in a significant portion of food bypassing through the intestine without absorption of many calories.

Advantages
1. Over 70% fat absorption
2. Accepts normal diet
3. Favourable hormonal changes

Disadvantages
1. Can be fatal
2. Mineral or protein deficiencies
3. Very long hospital stay
4. Slow recovery after surgery

** Credihealth offers you to find the best Bariatric Surgeon in India from which you can take a final decision before opting for a weight loss surgery.