If you have a large amount of weight to lose, you may be considering a surgical weight loss procedure. There are multiple types of gastrointestinal surgeries that can be used to help a person lose weight.
However, it is important to keep in mind that your surgeon will only perform your surgery under certain circumstances. To be a good candidate for gastrointestinal weight loss surgery, you will likely need to be morbidly obese or be obese with a condition that is caused by your excess weight, such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Additionally, you will need to have unsuccessfully tried to lose weight through less invasive means.
In conjunction with your weight loss surgery, your doctor may prescribe nutrition counseling and regular follow-up appointments to monitor your progress and help keep you on track. Here are a few types of gastrointestinal procedures that can help with weight loss.
Gastric Sleeve Procedure
During a gastric sleeve procedure, a portion of the stomach is removed. The remaining portion of the stomach forms a tube-like sleeve. Due to the stomach's reduction in size, the organ can no longer hold a large amount of food. Additionally, the reduced stomach produces less ghrelin, the hormone that stimulates the appetite.
Gastric Band Procedure
During the gastric band procedure, a band is surgically placed around the upper portion of the stomach. The band contains a balloon that can be inflated with saline. As the band inflates, it divides the stomach, leaving only a small pouch to hold your food.
Gastric Bypass Procedure
A gastric bypass surgery reroutes a segment of the small intestine and reduces the size of the stomach. The top of the stomach, which is a small pouch, is separated from the bottom of the organ. The small intestine that connected to the lower portion of the stomach is cut and connected to the newly formed pouch.
Duodenal Switch
The duodenal switch, like the sleeve gastrectomy, involves the removal of a large portion of the stomach. Nevertheless, the connection of the stomach to the duodenum, or beginning of the small intestine, remains intact.
The section of the intestine that lies in the middle is closed off, eliminating it from the digestive process. The switch procedure helps you lose weight by restricting your caloric intake and preventing your body from absorbing all of the calories that you ingest.
If you are interested in gastrointestinal surgery, schedule a consultation with a bariatric surgeon in your local area.