What You Need To Know About Weight Loss Surgery

If you are considering weight loss surgery (also called bariatric surgery) you may have heard of a gastric bypass or a sleeve gastrectomy, which are the most common bariatric procedures.

Gastric bypasses have been performed for over 50 years. Today, it is usually a minimally invasive procedure with laparoscopic and robotic surgery.

Let’s compare the two options of weight loss surgery.

The gastric bypass divides the stomach, creating a small pouch. The larger piece of the stomach no longer stores or digests food, however it does still create digestive juices that are pushed downstream to meet up with the food you eat.

The small intestine is also divided and connected to the newly created small stomach pouch.

This helps with weight loss because the stomach is now much smaller, which means you are able to hold less food and ingest fewer calories. Also, a portion of the small bowel does not see food anymore, which results in decreased absorption.

In comparison, the sleeve gastrectomy removes about 80% of the stomach using surgical staplers. As with the gastric bypass, it helps with weight loss because the smaller stomach holds less food. Also, the 80 percent of the stomach that is removed produces most of the body’s ghrelin or “hunger hormone.” Removing the hormone decreases the hunger sensation and increases fullness.

Surgery is the most effective treatment for type 2 diabetes. 80 percent of people who receive gastric bypass experience a remission of diabetes. For those who have the sleeve gastrectomy, remission is seen in over 60 percent of patients.

Both procedures involve reshaping the stomach to hold less food and both work for weight loss.

If you are considering weight loss surgery, the best way to understand which option is right for you is to meet with a bariatric surgeon. Please visit our website to request an appointment or sign up for a free webinar with one of our surgeons.

This article was originally featured in the Enquirer-Gazette.

Authors

Jilian Nicholas, DO, is a bariatric surgeon at Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center.