Bariatric Surgery

Whether it is called bariatric surgery or weight loss surgery, it is a surgery performed on the stomach and intestines of individuals that are obese for the sole purpose of losing the excess weight. There are two common

procedures for the surgery called Roux-en-Y that closes off part of the stomach while bypassing parts of the intestine. The second is gastric banding where a band in placed around the stomach reducing the original size. Both types of procedures have shown in studies to have long-term weight loss, reduced cardiovascular risks, decreased mortality, and recuperation from diabetes.

Laparoscopic bariatric surgery has a short hospital stay of about two days with short-term complications compared to Roux-en-Y surgery. The banding surgery reduces the size of the stomach to reduce amounts of food consumed and requiring the individuals to eat several times a day instead of the standard three meals a day practice.
The banding can be either a permanent or a temporary procedure. In the permanent procedures, stomach is stapled or reduced to create a smaller stomach pouch to replace the originally larger stomach.

The adjustable gastric band has the same effect yet uses a silicone band that can be adjusted with additional or reduction of saline via a port placed beneath the skin. This surgery is performed laparscopically and often called “lap band” surgery.

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is the more common of the two procedures. The process consists of creating a smaller stomach pouch with a stapled device and is then connected to the small intestine. The upper part of the old intestine is reattached to create the “Y” shape.

Bariatric surgery is the most common performed surgery for weight loss. In 2005, approximately 140,000 surgeries were performed. It is a practice that has been performed over 50 years and has long since weeded out the complications for the patients with high results of permanent weight loss. After patients have surgery, they are required to learn new eating habits and an exercise routine to help manage their weight loss and maintenance for higher long-term results. Most people having the bariatric surgery have seen drastic weight loss and improve health conditions with reduction of diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, and heart disease.