Worldwide, obesity rates have been climbing steadily in recent years. Being overweight or obese is dangerous to one’s health and can lead to further complications. Dietary changes increased physical activity, and even weight-loss surgery can all help those struggling with excess weight.
Millions of people have found that weight loss surgery has given them more than just a new appearance; it has given them a new lease on life. Health issues associated with obesity, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and Diabetes, are significantly reduced by this. Surgery is only a tool to help with weight loss, and it is still necessary to adhere to a diet and exercise plan for optimal outcomes.
Weight Loss Surgeries
Finding the best surgical weight loss solution may seem overwhelming with all the alternatives currently accessible. There are pros and drawbacks to each of these procedures, but ultimately none is a magic bullet for reducing weight quickly and easily. This guide to weight reduction surgery can help you decide and start the dialogue with your doctor.
1. Gastric Bypass
The Roux-en-y gastric bypass is another name for gastric bypass surgery. The stomach is divided into two parts. Using surgical staples, a tiny pouch is made at the upper part of the stomach. This pouch is connected directly to the small intestine, skipping the rest of the stomach entirely.
This treatment assists with weight loss by limiting stomach capacity. It also causes malabsorption, which occurs when the body has trouble digesting or absorbing food and nutrients. After gastric bypass surgery, hormone changes may reduce hunger. Gastric bypass is typically recommended for obese persons with severe acid reflux.
2. Gastric Sleeve Surgery
Sleeve gastrectomy, or laparoscopic vertical gastrectomy, is a procedure in which a small stomach section is surgically removed to aid weight loss. The stomach is surgically reduced in size to a banana or sleeve form, often by around 20%.
As a result of stomach reduction, several benefits can be gained. It starts by making one’s stomach smaller. Once the stomach has been reduced in size, the patient will experience satiety sooner and eat less, resulting in weight loss. Reduced production of the hunger-regulating hormone ghrelin is another benefit of gastric sleeve.
3. Duodenal Switch
First, the patient has gastric sleeve surgery. Then the top of the small intestines is disconnected from the stomach, closed off, and reconnected to the bottom of the small intestine in a laparoscopic duodenal switch. The small intestine’s middle segment is saved and reconnected to the intestine’s base to continue to secrete digestive juices.
This technique causes weight reduction by decreasing stomach capacity and obstructing food from reaching most of the small intestine. Because of this, the body won’t be able to take in any calories or nutrients consumed.
4. Gastric Balloon Placement
The intra-gastric balloon is only left in the stomach for a maximum of six months, making it a very short-term surgical procedure. A very little tube is inserted via the mouth and into the stomach, where your doctor inflates the balloon.
When it reaches the stomach, the balloon is inflated. It’s also important to remember that there are two distinct varieties of balloons: single and double. So, before talking to your doctor at a weight loss surgery clinic, consider both your goals and your stomach size.
5. Gastric Band
A laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (lap-band) surgery is another option for those looking to lose weight surgically. During this treatment, a ring formed of a rubber-like material is positioned around the patient’s upper stomach. The ring is kept in place by an air-filled balloon linked to it. Without incisions, the band separates the stomach into small and large pouches.
In contrast to gastric bypass surgery, the lap band does not involve cutting the stomach in half. Instead, the surgeon simply inserts or removes fluid from the band’s inflatable balloon to alter the size of the stomach’s sections. By reducing the size of the stomach, this treatment aids weight loss.
Surgeons who perform weight loss surgeries also perform other complex surgeries such as gall bladder removal (cholecystectomy). For more info about this type of surgery, especially if your doctor recommends you to have one, you can check the websites of reputable surgical clinics or hospitals or directly ask your surgeon.