There are two main types of gastric bypass surgery and they are the lap band and the roux-en-y. Here is an overview of both of these surgeries:
Roux-en-y-this type of surgery is a reconstruction of the stomach area. The stomach is stapled and the small intestine is reattached bypassing part of the intestine, causing less food to be absorbed in the digestion process. This surgery requires a 4 day hospital stay and a 4-6 week recovery period. The roux-en-y is a more permanent procedure and allows for greater weight loss than the lap band, but the risks are also higher with the roux-en-y than the lap band procedure. This type of surgery may have several side effect; such as, dumping syndrome and sensitivity to sugar and fats.
Lap band-this is a procedure that is performed by placing a band around the upper part of the stomach forming a small pouch. This pouch considerably limits the amount of food that is able to be consumed. This procedure will require regular adjustments to the band to reduce or enlarge the size of the pouch depending on what is necessary to get the appropriate weight. This surgery requires an overnight hospital stay and many patients return to work in less than a week. Gastric banding is a much less invasive surgery then the roux-en-y, which is why there are fewer risks. You may not lose as much weight with the lap band as the roux-en-y.
In a large majority of the cases both of these weight loss surgeries are performed laprascopically through several one inch long incisions. Trends seem to be going more towards the lap band surgery due to the decreased number of risks and the cost being considerably lower than other forms of weight loss surgery.
Any type of gastric bypass surgery requires lifestyle changes to be successful and to maintain the weight loss. Regular exercise and sensible food decisions will be necessary to sustain a healthy weight. Bariatric surgery can help alleviate many of the medical conditions associated with obesity, but it is only a tool and you get out of it what you put into it. This surgery will get you to a healthy weight, but staying there will be up to you.
Bariatric surgery, also known as obesity weight loss surgery involves surgical manipulation of the stomach to reduce food intake, and, in some cases, to reduce he absorption of calories into the body. Any person whose BMI exceeds 40 is considered morbidly obese and needs bariatric surgery. There are different types of bariatric surgery-
?The Laparoscopic Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy- This is a laparoscopic procedure in which few incisions are made through which cameras and sophisticated instruments are inserted. In this procedure, most of the stomach is removed and a ?vertical sleeve? or tube is fashioned from the remaining stomach. Since the size of the stomach is smaller, intake of food is reduced. The food does not bypass any of the intestines and hence there is no malabsorption.
?Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Divided Gastric Bypass Surgery- In this procedure, the stomach is separated into two sections using titanium staples. The small upper segment is connected to the esophagus and is the functional segment. The larger lower segment is connected to the duodenum and becomes the non-functional portion of the stomach. Next, most of the small intestine is separated from the stomach and brings it up to the small upper segment of the stomach which is still functional. The opening of this stomach is small and this allows the food to pass directly to the intestine where it is digested.
?Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding- In this procedure, small incisions are made and a silicone band is placed around the stomach which creates a small pouch. The stomach holds less food and thus the person is made to lesser need for food. The band is adjustable and needs to be adjusted 6-8 weeks during the first year after surgery in order to restrict the food intake.
Your surgeon's help should be sought to decide the type of procedure that suits you best. Bariatric surgery can be a life changing experience and can be the key to a healthy and cheerful lifestyle. All it takes to go ahead with the surgery is to spare around 3-4 days in the hospital and follow a healthy diet as directed by the doctor post-surgery.
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