An Overview of Bariatric Surgery

Many people with 35 BMI or more live with the reality of obesity and Bariatric surgery. Thankfully, weight can be treated and reduced by bariatric surgeons. Bariatric Surgery is generally successful with over 65-70% of those who have had Bariatric surgery reporting a noticeable improvement in the weight reduction process. As a large portion of your stomach gets removed things jarring at first but you can expect some pain and discomfort for a few days. 

Different Types Of Bariatric Surgery

• GASTRIC BANDING

People often call it a “lap-band.” The surgeon uses a band to cut and reshape the particular portion of the stomach and helps the obese patient in weight management. Duodenal switch becomes little difficult it helps to reduce 50-60% of total body weight. 

It comes with various benefits:

1. Doesn’t require anastomosis
2. No need to insert anything with lap-band
3. It is very flexible, if you feel like to do another type of surgery whether it is Gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy, you can do it freely. 

• SLEEVE GASTRECTOMY

This is considered to be a little complicated but its results are excellent. Though duodenal switching becomes a little difficult it helps to reduce 50-60% of total body weight.  After the surgery, you will feel full after eating a small amount of food. You might also feel less hungry because your smaller stomach will produce lower levels of a hormone called ghrelin, which causes hunger.

It comes with various benefits:

1. Doesn’t require anastomosis
2. No need to insert anything with lap-band
3. It is very flexible, if you feel like to do another type of surgery whether it is Gastric bypass or lap band.

• GASTRIC BYPASS

This is done by removing half part of the stomach and half part of the small intestine.

Gastric bypass surgery is the most effective type of surgery for weight loss, but it is not for everyone. Discuss with your doctor which approach is best for you, and talk about what to expect. You could ask:

1. What’s the average loss of weight after a year?
2. What’s the average loss of weight after 5 years?
3. What’s my role after surgery?

• GASTRIC BALLOON 

An inflatable device is temporarily inserted into the stomach via endoscopic placement. Once inserted into the stomach, the empty balloon is filled with sterile saline and can be kept in place for 6-12 months, depending on the type of balloon used.The balloon obstructs a sizable area of the stomach, thus reducing the amount of food it can contain at any one time.

There are a number of different intragastric balloons available worldwide, mainly 2 are common:

1. Orbera Gastric Balloon
2. Spatz3 Adjustable Gastric Balloon

Most people lose weight for 1 to 2 years after gastric bypass or gastric sleeve surgery, then they stop losing weight. With lap band surgery, the process takes longer. 

BARIATRIC SURGERY SIDE EFFECTS

Bariatric surgery is a process to reduce the weight of morbidly obese patients by performing some surgeries. Any surgery has potential side effects including incision bleeding, pain, infection – with or without fever. It is completely possible you will experience digestive as well as general side effects when a portion of stomach or intestine is removed. 

Its post-operative side effects include :

1. Increased infection especially in a wound area.
2. Internal blood leakage
3. Formation of blood clots
4. Death
5. When the blood supply to the brain is disrupted stroke can also happen.
6. Sudden rise in blood pressure

Other side effects are:

1. Gallstones – It is quite common in patients after operation, it has chemical substances and cholesterol completely fills the gallbladder. Sometimes it harms the abdomen by creating severe pain, nausea, vomiting and jaundice while sometimes it doesn’t harm at all.
2. Less consumption of nutrients – As the stomach gets shrunk the capacity of eating reduces automatically hence patients feel full early. 
3. Skin becomes loose and shaggy.

Side Effects

LAPAROSCOPIC SLEEVE GASTRECTOMY SIDE EFFECTS 

Sleeve gastrectomy is only recommended to the people who tried losing weight in natural ways like exercising/yoga or following a specific diet.

1. Gastrointestinal obstruction
2. Hernia
3. Malnutrition
4. Reduction in Blood sugar level;
5. Vomiting

The LSG works in multiple ways:

1. The restrictive element – patients are only able to eat a small meal (typically around 1/2 a cup) before the stomach is full. As the stomach fills to accommodate the meal, nerves are activated which send signals to the brain to indicate the stomach is full, and to stop eating. It is important for patients to chew food slowly and take time between mouthfuls to allow time for these signals to be sent to the brain.
2. The hormonal element – Patients do not experience as much hunger after the procedure. This is because the removed portion of the stomach is responsible for producing ghrelin, a hormone that induces hunger.

GASTRIC SLEEVE SIDE EFFECTS

1. Heartburn
2. Stomach ulcers
3. Swelling around the wounds
4. Bowel blockage
5. Injury in adjacent organs

 GASTRIC BALLOON SIDE EFFECTS

1. Back pain
2. Acid Reflux
3. Balloon rupture
4. Reduced stool volume
5. Bluish green stool and urine

REQUIREMENTS 

BARIATRIC SURGERY REQUIREMENTS

1. Person’s weight should not exceed 450-460 pounds i.e. 205-210 kgs.
2. To know about the side effects and other complications before the surgery.
3. If a patient is normal then BMI should be 40 or above if the patient is suffering from type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or cholesterol then it should be above 35.
4. If you are a tobacco addict or a chain smoker then you must quit at least 1-2 months before the surgery.

GASTRIC SLEEVE REQUIREMENTS

Below are some the criteria which one should follow before gastric sleeve surgery.

1. Patient’s age should be minimum 18 and maximum 60-65.
2. Person must be strong enough to handle the extreme physical pain.
3. Person should be healthy enough and should not be surrounded with major health problems.
4. A person must have been obese at least 2-3 years.

GASTRIC BYPASS REQUIREMENTS

1. Person should be mentally, physically, financially stable enough to bear the stress.
2. If a person is going through severe sleep apnea then he/she is a right candidate for this procedure.
3. Also a team of medical experts conduct a survey in which your exercise routine, diet plan, stress levels, etc. check this accurately.