Successful Weight Loss

Basics Relating To Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery

By Sarah Johnson


There are numerous methods that can be used in losing weight by New York residents. The most widely used are dietary changes and engagement in physical exercise. While these are effective and safe in most people, they tend to take quite long. They may not be appropriate for a person that intends to shed off extra pounds for a special occasion within a short period of time. Bariatric weight loss surgery is an option in this case.

Bariatric surgical operations are also known as restrictive operations. This is because they generally work by limiting the amount of food that the stomach can hold at any given point in time. Less nutrients are delivered to the body tissues. Most of these nutrients are used in the provision of energy with very few calories ending up as stored fat. The end result is rapid loss of weight.

The main types of bariatric surgeries that are performed are sleeve gastrectomy and gastric banding. Although the two are fundamentally different, the end results is largely the same. They both cause a significant reduction in the functional size of the stomach which in turn reduces the amount of food eaten. One of the major differences is that banding can be reversed while sleeve gastrectomy is permanent and cannot be reversed.

To perform gastric banding, a silicon band is put on the upper portion of the stomach (fundus). By compressing this part, the stomach is reduced to a small pouch that holds just about an ounce of food. An instrument known as a laparoscope makes it possible to conduct the operation with minimal access. The use of small incisions means that the resultant scars will not be prominent.

The band is usually continuous with a plastic tubing accessible from an area under the skin. The role of this tube is to help adjust the stomach size from time to time whenever the need arises. Injection of sterile water into the tubing increases the pressure on the stomach which in turn reduces the capacity even further. Drawing the water, on the other hand, releases the pressure and increases the capacity as a result.

One may suffer from a number of side effects after undergoing this surgery. They include nausea, vomiting, aversion to food, minor bleeding and infections. One of the interventions that can be used to reduce the incidence of nausea and vomiting is through reducing the compression by the band so that the stomach size is slightly increased. Readjustments can then be done slowly until the desired size is attained.

Sleeve gastrectomy is an operation in which surgical resection of the stomach is done to reduce its size by as much as 80%. The resultant stomach is a tubular structure that reduces the transit time of food hence reduced absorption of nutrients. The other benefit is that one experiences early satiety and consumes a lot less as a result. The side effects associated with the procedure are similar to those of banding.

Recovery takes a few weeks and one can resume a normal diet in about two weeks. It is important to bear in mind that results tend to vary from one client to another. The differences exist due to factors such as technique used, severity of your problem and the presence or absence of complications among others. Combining the surgical options with lifestyle changes increases the chances of getting remarkable results.




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