Weight Loss Surgery Options

Obesity is a leading health problem and a major cause of death in the United States. Obesity is a constant concern today as nearly two-thirds of the American population is now classified as overweight or obese. Moreover, obesity can affect the life of a person, both psychologically and socially. Depression can worsen the health of an obese. Obesity can affect the economy badly.

Weight loss can be achieved with the help of non-surgical methods like diet and exercise programs or medical treatments, but these typically result in very minor weight loss and are highly unsuccessful at maintaining any weight loss for long term. It is observed that surgical weight loss has a much higher success rate both in terms of amount of weight lost and long-term durability. Doctors do not recommend weight loss surgery to everyone. In case of obese, it can play a vital role in losing weight and preventing many of the medical problems associated with obesity. There are different weight loss surgery options and after the surgery, there can be vast improvements in a person's quality of life. Weight loss surgeries have gained popularity in recent years as attitude towards weight loss surgeries has significantly changed.

Surgical Procedures for Weight Loss

Weight loss surgery options come under the category of bariatric weight loss surgery which is further classified as restrictive procedures and restrictive / malabsorptive procedures.

Restrictive Procedures: Restrictive procedures reduce the size of the stomach, making you feel satiated even after eating less food and make you stay full longer. The options available in this category are:

• Roux-en-Y (RNY) Gastric Bypass (short limb or proximal)
• Lap Band Surgery or Adjustable Gastric Banding (AGB)
• Gastroplasty
• Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

Malabsorptive Procedures: Restrictive/malabsorptive procedures result in permanent changes to your anatomy as the size of the stomach is reduced and the small intestine is also shortened. The smaller stomach and intestine make you feel satisfied and full after eating less food. The changed size of the intestine helps reduce the amount of calories the body can absorb. Following surgery options are available in this category.

• Bilopancreatic Diversion
• Duodenal Switch

Combination of Restrictive and Malabsorptive Procedures: These also help to reduce the food intake as the procedures result in reduced absorption of food. The weight loss surgery option in this category is:

• long limb or distal gastric bypass

Gastric bypass surgery is the most frequently performed weight loss surgery in the U.S. According to the statistics, in U.S. itself, more than 90% of the surgeries performed for achieving weight loss are gastric bypasses. During this surgery, the surgeon connects the stomach directly to the lower segment of the small intestine, bypassing the duodenum and some of the jejunum. The part of the intestine between the stomach pouch and the connection to the proximal small intestine is called 'roux limb'. The length of the roux limb differs in short limb (proximal) and long limb (distal) gastric bypass. Long limb gastric bypass can lead to more malabsorption than short limb gastric bypass. In over 80% of patients, sustained weight loss of more than 50% of excess body weight is noticed. The surgeries are done laparoscopically or open. People who have a BMI of 35-40 and who suffer from life-threatening problems like diabetes, severe sleep apnea or heart diseases, can opt for these obesity surgeries.

Another option available for weight loss is abdominoplasty or tummy tucks wherein the excess fat and skin from the lower abdominal area are excised surgically, to make it firmer. The procedure known as liposuction allows to reduce fat at any part of the body. You can reduce fat under the chin, arms, face, love handles, thighs, buttocks, etc. with the help of liposuction procedures. Following cosmetic surgeries are very popular.

• Body Contouring
• Buttock Liposuction
• Breast Reduction Surgery

There are risks associated with these options for weight loss surgery which include infection, blood clots, bleeding, strictures, leaks, bowel obstruction, etc. After gastric bypass surgery, vitamin and mineral deficiency, dumping syndrome, etc., are commonly noticed. But in more than 90% of obese patients, most of the medical problems such as diabetes, sleep apnea, joint pain, hypertension, heartburn are improved or resolved after weight loss surgeries. The benefits of the weight loss surgery options are so important that they make people overlook the risk factors.