Bariatric surgery should not be considered until you and your doctor have explored all other options. The best approach to bariatric surgery calls for a discussion of the following:

• Bariatric surgery is not cosmetic surgery.
• Bariatric surgery does not involve the removal of adipose tissue (fat) by suction or surgical removal. [LINK TO 1.10.4 GLOSSARY]
• Together, you and your doctor should discuss the benefits and risks.
• You must commit to long-term lifestyle changes, including diet and exercise, which are key to the success of bariatric surgery.
• Complications after surgery may require further operations.
• Patients who underwent bariatric surgery have significantly reduced rates of developing cancer, cardiovascular diseases, endocrinological disorders, infectious diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, psychiatric disorders, and pulmonary disorders.

co-morbid conditions

Bariatric

As medical technology evolved, the both approaches have similar success rates in reducing excess weight and improving or resolving considerations.
Not all patients are candidates for the laparoscopic approach, just as not all bariatric surgeons are trained to perform this less-invasive method.
In some patients, the laparoscopic, or minimally invasive, technique cannot be used. Here are reasons why you may have an open procedure, or that may lead your surgeon to switch from laparoscopic to open:

• Prior abdominal surgery that has caused dense scar tissue
• Inability to see organs
• Bleeding problems during the procedure

The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery recommends that laparoscopic bariatric surgery should be performed only by surgeons who are experienced in both laparoscopic and open bariatric procedures. Surgery has been performed for decades. For most of those years, surgeons performed bariatric surgery using an open technique, which required a long incision and traditional medical instruments. laparoscopic or minimally invasive technique was introduced and widely adopted. Using the minimally invasive technique, a surgeon performs the same operation, but creates several ¼ to ½ inch incisions and uses long-handled instruments. This technique is associated with faster recovery, less pain, and less scarring.co-morbid conditions.

Surgery Techniques

Health Benefits of Bariatric Surgery

Bariatric surgery may offer you a whole new outlook on health…

Type 2 Diabetes

Many of gastric bypass patients experienced complete resolution of pseudotumor cerebri after surgery. of gastric bypass patients experienced complete resolution of venous stasis disease after surgery of gastric bypass patients experienced complete resolution of migraines after surgery. of gastric bypass patients experienced complete resolution of metabolic syndrome after surgery.

• Heart Disease and High Blood Pressure
• High Cholesterol
• Obstructive Sleep Apnea
• Acid Reflux/GERD
• Depression
• Osteoarthritis and Joint Pain
• Stress Urinary Incontinence
• Female Reproductive Health

In a study of 28 patients with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome who had gastric bypass surgery, the following results were reported.

• Metabolic Syndrome 80%
• Migraines 57%
• Venous Stasis Disease 95%
• Pseudotumor Cerebri 96%

One study found that gastric bypass surgery reduced the total number of co-morbid conditions of participating patients by 96%.

Many surgeons recommended bariatric surgery as a treatment option for type 2 diabetes. In some cases, resolution of type 2 diabetes occurred within days of the surgery. A meta-analysis stated that several studies found that bariatric surgery patients felt better, spent more time doing recreational and physical activities, benefited from enhanced productivity and economic opportunities, and had more self-confidence than they did prior to surgery.  Bariatric surgery is the clinical term for several different procedures. The procedures use one or both of two approaches to help patients lose weight and improve or resolve

Restrictive Procedures

Examples of restrictive procedures:

• Malabsorptive Procedures
  • Surgeons rarely perform strictly malabsorptive procedures. Most procedures that use malabsorption also use restriction.

• Combination Procedures
  • Certain procedures use both restriction and malabsorption. For example, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery uses a combination of restriction and malabsorption. During the procedure, the surgeon creates a small pouch. The surgeon then attaches a Y-shaped section of the small intestine directly to the stomach pouch. This allows food to bypass a large portion of the small intestine, which absorbs calories and nutrients. The smaller stomach pouch causes patients to feel fuller sooner and eat less food; bypassing a portion of the small intestine means the patient’s body absorbs fewer calories.

Example of combination procedures:

During these procedures, the surgeon reroutes the small intestine so that food skips a portion of it. The small intestine absorbs calories and nutrients from food, and avoiding part of it means that many calories and nutrients are not absorbed.

During these procedures, the surgeon creates a small stomach pouch, that limits the amount of food patients can eat. The smaller stomach pouch fills quickly, which helps patients feel satisfied with less food.

Surgical Risks for Gastric Bypass and Gastric Banding

As with any surgery, there may be immediate and long-term complications and risks. Discuss the benefits and risks with your healthcare team.

Possible risks associated with abdominal surgery can include, but are not limited to:

• Bleeding
• Pain
• Shoulder pain
• Pneumonia
• Complications due to anesthesia and medications
• Deep vein thrombosis (clotting in the veins, commonly in the lower extremities or pelvis)
• Carbon dioxide embolism
• Injury to the stomach, esophagus, or surrounding organs
• Dehiscence (separation of areas that are stitched or stapled together)
• Infections
• Leaks from staple lines [LINK TO 1.10.4 GLOSSARY]
• Marginal ulcers
• Pulmonary problems, pulmonary embolism [LINK TO 1.10.4 GLOSSARY]
• Spleen injury (to control operative bleeding, removal of the spleen may be necessary)
• Stroke or heart attack
• Stenosis (narrowing of a passage, such as a valve)
• Death

Compare Mortality Rates

Gastric banding

At the Surgical Weight Loss Institute, we recognize that each one of our patients has different needs.  For this reason, we offer various surgeries and work with each patient to determine which avenue is right for him or her. 

• Learn About the Procedures
• Sleeve gastrectomy
• Defining Bariatric Surgery
• Gastric bypass

Bariatric surgery is a treatment option for people living with morbid obesity—especially for those who have not experienced long-term weight loss success through other means. Often referred to as weight loss surgery, bariatric surgery has transformed the health and lives of more than 800,000 people in the past six years.

Open Versus Minimally Invasive Surgery