Common Weight Loss Surgeries
Weight loss is a big problem that many people are struggling with all over the world. Weight loss surgery can help individuals with weight problems, especially when diet and exercise are not providing expected results. This surgery is called bariatric and it is typically broken down into two categories: restrictive and malabsorptive. Restrictive weight loss surgery involves limiting the amount of food that you’re consuming, while malabsorptive involves reduction of some calories, proteins and other nutrients you can absorb from the digestive system.
How Weight Loss Surgery Works
Some weight loss surgeries affect the stomach where it cannot stretch fully, thus holding less food than before. Others affect part of intestines so that you absorb fewer calories and thus lose weight. Gastric bypass surgery also helps prevent risks such as stroke, heart disease, and high blood pressure, along with other weight related problems.
Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass
This is a very common approach to weight loss surgery. The surgeon divides the stomach into two parts—one small and the other large. He then staples the small portion to form a small pouch. With this surgery, a part of the small intestines, duodenum, is bypassed. This results in less food consumption and fewer absorbed calories.
Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding
Another common approach to bariatric surgery, a surgeon uses a silicon band around the upper part of the stomach. As a result, a small stomach pouch is created with the larger part of the stomach below. This upper part of the stomach can hold a small amount of food so that you get full sooner. The size of the silicon band controls the flow rate of food from the smaller pouch above to the bigger part of the stomach below. This procedure can be reversed if necessary, and it is straightforward to perform.
Weight loss surgery involves many procedures, but gastric bypass and gastric banding are the most common. When you visit a weight loss surgeon, he will assess your weight and overall health.
