Bariatric Surgery
Bariatric Surgery
Indication:
No studies evaluate the commonly used indications for bariatric surgery. Consensus guidelines suggest that the surgical treatment of obesity should be reserved for patients with a body-mass index (BMI) >40 kg/m(2) or with BMI >35 kg/m(2) and 1 or more significant co morbid conditions, when less invasive methods of weight loss have failed and the patient is at high risk for obesity-associated morbidity and mortality (strength of recommendation: C, based on consensus guidelines).
Types:
There are two basic types of weight loss surgery -- restrictive surgeries and malabsorptive/restrictive surgeries. They help with weight loss in different ways.
Restrictive surgeries: work by physically restricting the size of the stomach and slowing down digestion. A normal stomach can hold about 3 pints of food. After surgery, the stomach may at first hold as little as an ounce, although later that could stretch to 2 or 3 ounces. The smaller the stomach, the less you can eat. The less you eat the more weight you lose.
Malabsorptive/restrictive surgeries: are more invasive surgeries that work by changing how you take in food. In addition to restricting the size of the stomach, these surgeries physically remove or bypass parts of your digestive tract, which makes it harder for your body to absorb calories. Purely malabsorptive surgeries -- also called intestinal bypasses -- are no longer done because of the side effects.
Specific Types of Weight Loss Surgery
There are many different surgical procedures for weight loss, and each has several variations.
Adjustable Gastric Banding
Gastric banding is among the least invasive weight loss treatments. This surgery uses an inflatable band to squeeze the stomach into two sections: a smaller upper pouch and a larger lower section. The two sections are still connected; it's just the channel between them is very small, which slows down the emptying of the upper pouch. Gastric banding
Indication:
No studies evaluate the commonly used indications for bariatric surgery. Consensus guidelines suggest that the surgical treatment of obesity should be reserved for patients with a body-mass index (BMI) >40 kg/m(2) or with BMI >35 kg/m(2) and 1 or more significant co morbid conditions, when less invasive methods of weight loss have failed and the patient is at high risk for obesity-associated morbidity and mortality (strength of recommendation: C, based on consensus guidelines).
Types:
There are two basic types of weight loss surgery -- restrictive surgeries and malabsorptive/restrictive surgeries. They help with weight loss in different ways.
Restrictive surgeries: work by physically restricting the size of the stomach and slowing down digestion. A normal stomach can hold about 3 pints of food. After surgery, the stomach may at first hold as little as an ounce, although later that could stretch to 2 or 3 ounces. The smaller the stomach, the less you can eat. The less you eat the more weight you lose.
Malabsorptive/restrictive surgeries: are more invasive surgeries that work by changing how you take in food. In addition to restricting the size of the stomach, these surgeries physically remove or bypass parts of your digestive tract, which makes it harder for your body to absorb calories. Purely malabsorptive surgeries -- also called intestinal bypasses -- are no longer done because of the side effects.
Specific Types of Weight Loss Surgery
There are many different surgical procedures for weight loss, and each has several variations.
Adjustable Gastric Banding
Gastric banding is among the least invasive weight loss treatments. This surgery uses an inflatable band to squeeze the stomach into two sections: a smaller upper pouch and a larger lower section. The two sections are still connected; it's just the channel between them is very small, which slows down the emptying of the upper pouch. Gastric banding