Weight loss surgery, or bariatric surgery, is an excellent option for individuals who are overweight or obese, have tried other methods of weight loss such as diet restriction and exercise, and are committed to a complete lifestyle change for the sake of their health.
There are several options for someone considering weight loss surgery. If you are interested in weight loss surgery for yourself or a loved one, read on to discover more about the options available from the best weight loss surgeon in Corona.
There are two main mechanisms bariatric procedures use to promote weight loss, restriction and malabsorption. Restrictive procedures work by forming a smaller stomach so that less food can be eaten at any one sitting. Of course, reducing the amount of food that can comfortably be consumed reduces the number of calories eaten in a day, leading to weight loss. Malabsorptive procedures compromise or eliminate parts of the digestive tract to promote wasting of nutrients. If the digestive tract cannot absorb food, calories are wasted. This also promotes weight loss. Some weight loss surgeries are restrictive, while others combine restriction with malabsorption to promote weight loss.
Restrictive Weight Loss Procedures
Gastric sleeve and gastric banding are restrictive weight loss procedures. In gastric banding, a band is used to section off a small portion of the stomach. This small pouch will function as the patient’s new stomach following the gastric band procedure. The size of the pouch can be adjusted via an external port where fluid is inserted to inflate the band. Gastric banding is among the least invasive of weight loss procedures, though it is not as effective as some more invasive procedures like gastric bypass. Still, it can be a good option for patients with less excess body fat to lose.
Another type of restrictive procedure, the gastric sleeve involves the creation of a new stomach using a tube-like instrument to remove the majority of the organ. What remains is a tube-like stomach that holds far less food than a full-size, pre-operation stomach. The gastric sleeve does more than simply reduce the size of stomach to promote early satiety, or fullness. Because gastric sleeve involves removing a substantial portion of stomach tissue, it also prevents the release of certain hunger hormones synthesized in the stomach, reducing appetite overall.
Malabsorptive Weight Loss Procedures
Malabsorptive procedures are more invasive than restrictive procedures, but they also lead to more pounds lost. Patients with the most excess body weight to lose may find that these malabsorptive procedures offer the best chance of freedom from the burdens of obesity. Their effects are often immediate and long-lasting, and weight loss is maintained ten to fifteen years post-op.
Known as the “gold standard” of bariatric procedures, gastric bypass is the most popular weight loss surgery. It proceeds in two phases. First, the best weight loss surgeon in Corona forms a smaller stomach by forming a pouch from the existing stomach using staples. This new, smaller stomach capacity restricts intake of calories much like the gastric sleeve and gastric band procedures. The gastric bypass procedure goes a step further, however. It also involves connecting the middle portion of the small intestine, the jejunum, to the new stomach, bypassing the first part of the intestine. Calories not absorbed along the new, shorter digestive tract are eliminated as waste, leading to more weight loss than what can be expected from restrictive procedures alone.
The duodenal switch procedure is gaining popularity, with outcomes comparable to and even greater than those that can be expected from gastric bypass. In the duodenal switch procedure, a smaller pouch is again created from the existing stomach, reducing the patient’s ability to consume large amounts of food. Rather than bypassing the duodenum, this procedure involves attaching the duodenum to the end of the small intestine, bypassing the majority of the jejunum, or middle portion of the intestine. This much shorter digestive tract leaves the patient with lifelong, frequent bowel movements which can be controlled with timing of diet, fiber intake and caffeine use.
Both gastric bypass and duodenal switch procedures require lifelong vitamin and mineral supplementation due to the malabsorptive nature of the new digestive tract. They also require patients to eat smaller, more frequent meals and avoid sugar to prevent the unpleasant symptoms of dumping syndrome. The duodenal switch procedure leads to the most weight loss among weight loss procedures, but is reserved for individuals with the most excess body fat to lose due to the high rate of complications.
In conclusion, bariatric procedures are a safe, effective option for overweight and obese patients who have tried other, conventional methods of weight loss like calorie restriction and exercise. Contact the best weight loss surgeon in Coronatoday to find out if you or your loved one is a candidate for weight loss surgery and to schedule a consultation.