Bariatric Surgery

What is Bariatric Surgery?

Bariatric Surgery is weight loss surgery that can help people lose weight with extreme obesity condition. This surgery can be an option if one cannot lose weight through diet control or exercise or if someone is facing serious health issue due to obesity. This surgery is done on the stomach and/or intestines.
Hormonal changes in the human body are also caused by Bariatric surgery. Mostly, in today’s time, minimal invasive techniques, like laparoscopic surgery, are used to perform Bariatric surgery. There are certain advantages and certain disadvantages associated with with each of the surgery.

Two types of Bariatric Surgery:

Restrictive surgeries :
– This surgery is performed by physically restricting the size of the stomach, thus slowing down the digestion process.

Malabsorptive/Restrictive surgeries :

– This surgery is more invasive in nature. Besides restricting the size of the stomach, it also cuts down the parts of the digestive tract, thus, reducing the calories intakes.

The most common Bariatric surgeries are as below:

Sleeve Gastrectomy:
– In this surgery technique, two-thirds of the stomach is removed and the remaining stomach is re-shaped into a sleeve-like tube. This is a new technique used for the patients with a very high BMI.

Gastric Bypass
– In this surgery technique, the amount of food that a stomach and intestine can handle is changed. This surgery makes the stomach much smaller, therefore, you will eat less food and the food eaten will not go to some parts of the body and also not go to the small intestine that absorbs food. This would automatically reduce the calories intake from the food.

Adjustable Gastric Band (Lap-Band):
– This surgery is a minimally invasive surgery where few tiny cuts are made. It makes the stomach much smaller and also re-routes the intestine. Therefore, you will fill full sooner and will eat less than normal intake, which will, in turn, result in the absorption of fewer minerals. After this surgery, people lose up to two-thirds of their weight in approximately two years resulting in significant health improvement.

Biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch
– A Biliopancreatic diversion changes the process of digestion by reducing the size of the stomach. Food is passed through the small intestine allowing only a fewer minerals to be absorbed by your body.

What are the benefits of Bariatric surgery?

• Long-term remission for type 2 diabetes.
• Good and improved cardiovascular health.
• Freedom from depression.
• Relief from joint pain.
• Controlled blood pressure.

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