Weight Loss Surgery
There are several types of Weight Loss Surgery. There are restrictive Surgeries, malabsorptive surgeries (not done any more) and the combo of restrictive/malabsorptive surgeries.
Adjustable Gastric Banding
Gastric banding is among the least invasive weight loss treatments. This surgery uses an inflatable band to squeeze the stomach into two sections: a smaller upper pouch and a larger lower section. The two sections are still connected; it’s just the channel between them is very small, which slows down the emptying of the upper pouch. Gastric banding physically restricts the amount of food you can take in at a meal. Most people can only eat a half to one cup of food before feeling too full or sick. The food also needs to be soft or well-chewed.
vertical banded gastroplasty
Like adjustable gastric banding, it divides the stomach into two parts, although with both a band and surgical staples. Because the results weren’t as good as other techniques, it’s now less common. An even earlier procedure, original (or horizontal) gastroplasty – or “stomach stapling” — is no longer performed at all because of low success rates.
Sleeve Gastrectomy
This is a relatively new form of restrictive weight loss surgery. In the operation, which is usually done with a laparoscope, about 75% of the stomach is removed. What remains of the stomach is a narrow tube or sleeve, which connects to the intestines.
Usually, a sleeve gastrectomy is a first step in a sequence of weight loss surgeries. It’s typically followed up by gastric bypass or biliopancreatic diversion, which will result in greater weight loss. However, in some cases, it might be the only surgery you need.
Gastric Bypass Surgery (Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass)
Gastric bypass is the most common type of weight loss surgery. It makes up about 80% of all weight loss surgeries in the U.S., and combines both restrictive and malabsorptive approaches. It can be done as either a minimally invasive or open surgery.
In the operation, the surgeon divides the stomach into two parts, sealing off the upper section from the lower. The surgeon then connects the upper stomach directly to the lower section of the small intestine. Essentially, the surgeon is creating a shortcut for the food, bypassing a section of the stomach and the small intestine. Skipping these parts of the digestive tract means that fewer calories get absorbed into the body.
Biliopancreatic Diversion
This is essentially a more drastic version of a gastric bypass, in which part of the stomach — as much as 70% — is removed, and even more of the small intestine is bypassed.
A somewhat less extreme version of this weight loss surgery is called biliopancreatic diversion with a duodenal switch. While still more involved than a gastric bypass, this procedure removes less of the stomach and bypasses less of the small intestine. It also reduces the risk of dumping syndrome, malnutrition, and ulcers, which are more common with a standard biliopancreatic diversion.
Brian and I are considering (and preparing for)RNY Gastric Bypass.
I’d like to thank WEB MD for the information on all the types of surgeries available.