What You Should Know About Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery

By Sarah Johnson


There are numerous methods that can be used in losing weight by New York residents. The most widely used are dietary changes and engagement in physical exercise. While these are effective and safe in most people, they tend to take quite long. They may not be appropriate for a person that intends to shed off extra pounds for a special occasion within a short period of time. Bariatric weight loss surgery is an option in this case.

Bariatric surgery is also known as a restrictive operation. This means that it limits the amount of food that the stomach can hold after a single meal. The amount of nutrients that are subsequently absorbed at the level of the intestines is reduced. Whatever is absorbed is mainly used to generate energy and very little ends up as storage in adipose tissues. Within days and weeks one begins to lose weight.

The two main forms of bariatric operations are gastric banding and sleeve gastrectomy. Although the two are slightly different in the manner in which they are performed, the results are more or less the same. The main difference is that banding is a reversible procedure while gastrectomy is not. The major similarity is that both reduce the size of the stomach.

To perform gastric banding, a silicon band is put on the upper portion of the stomach (fundus). By compressing this part, the stomach is reduced to a small pouch that holds just about an ounce of food. An instrument known as a laparoscope makes it possible to conduct the operation with minimal access. The use of small incisions means that the resultant scars will not be prominent.

The band is usually continuous with a plastic tubing accessible from an area under the skin. The role of this tube is to help adjust the stomach size from time to time whenever the need arises. Injection of sterile water into the tubing increases the pressure on the stomach which in turn reduces the capacity even further. Drawing the water, on the other hand, releases the pressure and increases the capacity as a result.

There are a number of complications that may result from this operation. Those that are encountered most commonly include nausea, vomiting, aversion to food, bleeding and infections. Some of the symptoms can be relieved by adjusting the compression exerted by the band. Once the symptoms have subsided, the pressure can be increased gradually once more to reduce the stomach to the desired size.

Sleeve gastrectomy involves surgical resection of the stomach with the aim of reducing its size. After the operation only 20 to 25% is left. The structure that is left is more tubular which reduces the transit time of food. Reduced absorption of nutrients, therefore, occurs due to two main reasons: the increased transit time and the reduced intake of food. Side effects here are similar to those of banding.

Recovery takes a few weeks and one can resume a normal diet in about two weeks. It is important to bear in mind that results tend to vary from one client to another. The differences exist due to factors such as technique used, severity of your problem and the presence or absence of complications among others. Combining the surgical options with lifestyle changes increases the chances of getting remarkable results.




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