There are several different procedures that can be performed, however, we will analyze the two most popular types of bariatric or weight loss surgery performed today. We will discuss what are the prerequisites that must be taken into account for this type of surgery, as well as the work and information that should be imparted to the patient who considers it.
We will also discuss possible complications for each type of surgery and what happens if reversals can be performed. This type of surgery is designed for people with morbid obesity, especially those who are overweight at least 100 pounds and have reasonably good health.
The first type of surgery discussed today is gastric bypass surgery. Most laypeople commonly call it the “stomach stapling procedure.” In this procedure, the largest portion of the stomach is stapled and a small bag is formed containing approximately ½ cup of food at a time. This procedure is considered safer than procedures in the past where the rest of the stomach was completely removed during surgery.
Then, the intestine is redirected to a lower area of the small intestine, which reduces the number of nutrients the body absorbs. This procedure works under the premise of restricted amounts of food and drinks ingested and promotes reduced nutrient absorption, which promotes weight loss.
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Some advantages of this procedure are that in clinical studies the average excess weight loss with this procedure was 75-90% when verified during a period of one to five years after the operation. The patient can achieve long-term maintenance of the ideal weight as long as he complies with the diet and routines that are given to use after surgery.
Some of the disadvantages of this surgery are that the stomach can be stretched again if the patient does not follow the prescribed diet after surgery. This includes large amounts of liquids and food. The malabsorption procedures can cause problems such as malnutrition, anemia, and bone disease. The patient will need to take multiple vitamins with iron and minerals to get all the nutrients his body needs to be healthy.
This procedure can weaken the immune system because fewer nutrients are absorbed, so patients have a higher risk of succumbing to viral and bacterial infections. Patients complain of frequent and liquid stools after surgery, which in some patients are regulated over time. Gallstones are often found after this type of surgery and it may be necessary to remove the gallbladder if this happens. This type of surgery is more difficult to reverse than the next surgical procedure we will discuss.
The second type of surgery is newer and, according to reports, is safer to use, since it can be adjusted or reversed without unnecessary complications if necessary. It is called lap band surgery and is the most popular type of weight loss surgery at this time due to the facts mentioned above. The lap band is a restrictive band that is placed around the upper part of the stomach and separates the stomach into two parts.
This makes the person feel full after eating small portions of food. In this type of procedure, the digestive process is not overlooked but is digested normally. The person simply cannot eat large amounts as he did before.
Restrictive bands can be adjusted as necessary to be more or less restrictive as necessary for the particular patient. This surgery is also easily reversed, which does not leave patients with a long-term decrease in nutrient absorption such as previous surgeries caused in patients.
The main problems with this surgery are that leaks can occur around the band, nausea, and vomiting, and the band can slip or migrate to a place where it should not be. If this occurs, the band can be adjusted with a minimally invasive procedure, while previous surgeries could not be fixed in this way.
