Weight Loss Surgeries

Weight Loss Surgery Introduction
Gastrointestinal surgery is an option for people who are severely obese and cannot lose weight by traditional means or who suffer from serious obesity-related health problems. The operation promotes weight loss by restricting food intake and, in some operations, interrupting the digestive process. As in other treatments for obesity, the best results are achieved with healthy eating behaviors and regular physical activity.

You may be a candidate for surgery if you have:

a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more—about 100 pounds overweight for men and 80 pounds for women (see BMI
chart below)
a BMI between 35 and 39.9 and a serious obesity-related health problem such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, or severe sleep apnea (when breathing stops for short periods during sleep)
an understanding of the operation and the lifestyle changes you will need to make.

Gastrointestinal surgery for obesity, also called bariatric surgery, alters the digestive process. The operations can be divided into three types: restrictive, malabsorptive, and combined restrictive/malabsorptive. Restrictive operations limit food intake by creating a narrow passage from the upper part of the stomach into the larger lower part, reducing the amount of food the stomach can hold and slowing the passage of food through the stomach. Malabsorptive operations do not limit food intake, but instead exclude most of the small intestine from the digestive tract so fewer calories and nutrients are absorbed. Malabsorptive operations, also called intestinal bypasses, are no longer recommended because they result in severe nutritional deficiencies. Combined operations use stomach restriction and a partial bypass of the small intestine.

Weight Loss Surgery Prices:

Bariatric procedures cost from $20,000 to $35,000. Medical insurance coverage varies by state and insurance provider. If you are considering bariatric surgery, contact your regional Medicare or Medicaid office or insurance plan to find out if the procedure is covered.

Weight Loss Surgery Types

Adjustable gastric banding. In this procedure, a hollow band made of silicone rubber is placed around the stomach near its upper end, creating a small pouch and a narrow passage into the rest of the stomach (figure 2). The band is then inflated with a salt solution through a tube that connects the band to an access port placed under the skin. It can be tightened or loosened over time to change the size of the passage by increasing or decreasing the amount of salt solution.

Vertical banded gastroplasty. VBG uses both a band and staples to create a small stomach pouch, as illustrated in figure 3. Once the most common restrictive operation, VBG is not often used today.

Combined operations are the most common bariatric procedures. They restrict both food intake and the amount of calories and nutrients the body absorbs.

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RGB). This operation, illustrated in figure 4, is the most common and successful combined procedure in the United States. First, the surgeon creates a small stomach pouch to restrict food intake. Next, a Y-shaped section of the small intestine is attached to the pouch to allow food to bypass the lower stomach, the duodenum (the first segment of the small intestine), and the first portion of the jejunum (the second segment of the small intestine). This reduces the amount of calories and nutrients the body absorbs. Rarely, a cholecystectomy (gall bladder removal) is performed to avoid the gallstones that may result from rapid weight loss. More commonly, patients take medication after the operation to dissolve gallstones. (See WIN’s fact sheet Dieting and Gallstones for more information.)

Biliopancreatic diversion (BPD). In this more complicated combined operation, the lower portion of the stomach is removed (see figure 5). The small pouch that remains is connected directly to the final segment of the small intestine, completely bypassing the duodenum and the jejunum. Although this procedure leads to weight loss, it is used less often than other types of operations because of the high risk for nutritional deficiencies. A variation of BPD includes a “duodenal switch” (see figure 6), which leaves a larger portion of the stomach intact, including the pyloric valve that regulates the release of stomach contents into the small intestine. It also keeps a small part of the duodenum in the digestive pathway. The larger stomach allows patients to eat more after the surgery than patients who have other types of procedures.

Understading Weight Loss Surgery Limitations:
• Don't expect perfection.
• Have realistic expectations. A cosmetic surgery can reshape your body, but not your life.
• Know the weight loss surgery risks.
• Don't do it on the cheap. Pay what it takes for safe weight loss surgeries.
• Make sure your cosmetic surgeon is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
• Do your homework. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Tips for Choosing a Cosmetic Surgeon:

• Check into the experience of the surgeon you are considering. Does he or she specialize in the weight loss surgery procedure?
• How many weight loss surgery procedures of this kind has the doctor done?
• How many is the doctor currently performing per year?
• Botox injection before-and-after pictures can give you some indication of a surgeon's ability, although you must realize that they cannot be construed to guarantee the result you will achieve.
• Make sure you are comfortable with the personal support between you and your cosmetic surgeon. You should always feel that your concerns are being addressed.

If you or a loved one are thinking about having weight loss surgeries, you need to speak with an experienced doctor or surgeon as soon as posisble. You probably have alot of questions, and chances are you may be nervous or afraid. Good weight loss surgery surgeons in your area can help relieve this anxiety and stress. . An experienced cosmetic or plastic surgeon can evaluate your individual situation and give you their professional advice and opinion regarding weight loss surgeries. The fact is, you won't know until you speak with a surgeon directly.

Types of Cosmetic Surgery:

Botox Injections | Breast Augmentation | Breast Lift | Brow Lift | Butt Lift | Cellulite Treatment | Collagen Injections | Chemical Peel | Chin Augmentation | Ear Surgery | Eyelid Lift | Face Lift | Forehead Lift | Hair Replacement | Laser Skin Resurfacing | Lasik Eye Surgery | Lip Augmentation | Liposuction | Nose Job | Varicose Veins | Thigh Lift | Tummy Tuck | Upper Arm Lift | Weight Loss Surgery