The Many Faces Of Weight Loss Surgery
Weight loss surgery. You’ve heard about it, and it may have crossed your mind. What is it, what happens to the body right after? It is important to ask these questions before ever deciding to undergo bypass surgery. So let’s start talking about it.
You may think that weight loss surgery is just a single procedure. But it isn’t. There are many faces of weight loss surgery, meaning – there are many types available. Each type of weight loss surgery differ from each other through procedure and weight loss method implemented, and of course, usually varies in effect and price. Let us go through the common types of weight loss surgeries, how they are done and how they work.
There are three predominant classifications of weight loss surgeries, and they are Predominantly malabsorptive procedures, Predominantly restrictive procedures and Mixed procedures.
Predominantly Malabsorptive Procedures
These procedures work normally by creating malabsorption – which means that the gastrointestinal tract absorbs less of the nutrients, making weight gain more difficult, even if a person eats a lot. Malabsorptive procedures have been done previously, but are now rare because of the risk of malnourishment. These procedures have now been replaced with other types of weight loss surgery.
Predominantly Restrictive Procedures
Unlike predominantly malabsorptive procedures, these procedures primarily restrict weight gain by reducing the stomach size. A reduction in stomach size creates a feeling of fullness even with only a little intake, and thus decreasing a person’s food intake.
Types of restrictive procedures include Vertical Banded Gastroplasty, a procedure that includes permanent stapling of a part of the stomach to create a smaller stomach pouch which will then serve as the new stomach. Sleeve Gastrectomy is another weight loss procedure where a large portion of the stomach, the one following the major curve, is surgically removed. The stomach is then reduced to less than a quarter of its original size. This is a permanent procedure.
Mixed Procedures
Obviously, mixed procedures include restrictive and malabsorptive properties of the procedure. Among these are gastric bypass surgery, which is the most common surgery for weight loss. Another procedure is the Sleeve Gastrectomy with Duodenal switch., where the stomach is tubulized, restricting food intake. Implantable Gastric Stimulation, on the other hand is a procedure that attaches a device somewhat similar to a heart pacemaker. The electrical stimulation caused by the device then modifies the nervous system activity in the stomach, causing the brain to interpret it as a sense of fullness. It is still being tested in the United States
Are These Safe?
There have been numerous weight loss surgery cases in the United States, and while some procedures end up effective and harmful, some procedures have been restricted or even banned because of the risks that they pose during and after the surgery.
It is still very important to remember that while surgery may be the quickest way out of obesity, it is certainly not the safest, with the risks that it involve. You should also remember that most of these surgical procedures are irreversible, and if you don’t want to live with a small stomach forever, you might as well not do it.
Try to weigh the situation first. Maybe you don’t need to undergo surgery at all.
Category: All Resources That Help Lose Weight!