Surgery for weight loss. About
one hundred and thirteen thousand weight loss surgeries are performed yearly on
obese people. These include those who
have who have a Body Mass Index of forty or more, and those with a BMI of
thirty five or more who have serious health conditions, such as diabetes or
sleep apnea.
Eighty
to ninety percent of these patients undergo the two most common weight loss
surgeries – gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy. These procedures improve or
resolve type two diabetes, hypertension, and elevated cholesterol. However, those
who have medical history of a blood clotting disorder, heart attack, stroke, or
kidney failure might not be surgery candidates.
Roux-en-Y
gastric bypass surgery is the most common weight loss procedure. It includes eighty percent of all weight
reduction surgeries in the U.S.The technique has two parts. The first, devising
a small pouch in the stomach. The surgeon divides it into a large
and smaller portion. The small part is sewn or stapled to make the pouch. It creates
a sensation of fullness during and after a meal. The second part is the bypass. The surgeon disconnects the
small stomach pouch from the first part of the small intestine (duodenum). The
pouch is connected to a part of the small intestine, the jejunum. This technique
is called a "Roux-en-Y."
Following
surgery, food passes from the stomach into the jejunum, bypassing the duodenum.
Calorie and nutrient absorption is decreased. Stomach stapling and Roux-en-Y
surgery are performed simultaneously. Together they are called, "Roux-en-Y
gastric bypass." Usual inpatient stay following
surgery is two to three days.Ten percent of operated patients might have post-operative
problems that include wound infection, digestive problems, intestinal ulcers,
and rectal bleeding. One to five percent could have complications, such as a blood
clot in the lung or heart. The
risk is higher for people over age sixty.
Weight
loss surgery at a center with experienced surgeons reduces risk. Ten percent of operated patients could have
diarrhea, cramps, and face flushing after eating. Three to four percent suffer a stomach ulcer
or bowel obstruction.Post-surgery weight loss is dramatic. Patients lose up to sixty
percent of their pre-operative weight. Related health problems improve or
disappear. Permanent lifestyle changes, including several small meals a day, and
daily exercise enhance the benefit.
Another
weight loss technique is lap banding surgery. It is the least invasive
and second most common weight loss surgical procedure. It accounts for fifteen
to twenty percent of weight reduction techniques. A silicone ring is placed around the upper
stomach. The surgeon adjusts the tightness by injecting saline through the skin
to fill up the band, or extracting saline to loosen it. If the bands are too
tight, they can be loosened. Tightening
the bands shrinks the stomach. Gastric banding is less likely to cause
nutritional problems. It results in less weight loss than bypass surgery.
About ninety five percent of operated people say that their quality of life is improved after surgery. Some studies suggest people live longer after weight loss surgery, compared to obese people who don't have surgery.
Ellen DeGeneres quote: “You don’t
have to stay in shape. My grandmother, she started walking five miles a day
when she was sixty. She’s ninety seven today, and we don’t know where the hell
she is.”
Before and
After
