Bariatric surgery is typically associated with weight loss and performed in patients afflicted with obesity and irreversible weight gain.
Understanding obesity
A worldwide issue, an individual is considered obese when the BMI or body mass index is 30 or more. Calculated as a measure of your weight against your height, BMI is distinguished into at least three classes.
- Class 1 – BMI 30 to 35
- Class 2 – BMI 35 to 40
- Class 3 – BMI > 40
Obesity classes 2 and 3 are often difficult to treat with just diet and exercise alone and categorized as severe obesity.
The need for bariatric surgery
Your digestive system undergoes extensive changes through bariatric surgery. Generally, the intervention is aimed at shrinking your stomach, thus minimizing your intake at a single time and making you feel full, sooner than anticipated. Other surgeries focus on your small intestine, which is responsible for the absorption of nutrients, and calories from the foods and beverages that you consume..
For severe obesity, patients are recommended bariatric surgery when weight loss is not imminent, and weight gain cannot be arrested – this even after changing your lifestyle and weaning you away from medications that contribute to obesity. Serious health issues such as type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, and others related to obesity, can also be addressed with bariatric surgery..
Common Surgery
The gastric bypass or the Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass is by far considered as the gold standard in bariatric weight loss surgery. At Lifeline Hospitals, experienced surgeons evaluate your medical profile completely, before performing a physical examination..
What happens in this procedure?
The procedure is performed across two components.
First, the top of the stomach is parted away from the rest of the organ. Then a small pouch with a capacity of about 30 mL or one ounce in volume, is created. Thereafter, the primary portion of the small intestine is removed, and the bottom end is attached directly to the newly created pouch. The top portion of the divided small intestine is connected further down to the rest of the small intestine to facilitate the mixture of digestive enzymes and stomach acids with the consumed food.
Mechanisms
The gastric bypass uses several mechanisms to work but is also similar to most bariatric procedures. Enabling smaller quantities of food, the pouch, consequently, allows less calorie intake. Food digestion is considerably minimized due to the small size of the pouch. The degree of absorption of calories is also much lower as there is only a tiny segment of the small intestine which does not have food passing through it. Hormones in the gut automatically promote fullness and satisfaction as the food stream is rerouted and hunger suppressed.