Bariatric Surgery
Due to diet, lifestyle, and genetics, 40% of Americans are obese today. Aside from the functional limitations that being overweight produces, obesity puts you at risk for a number of other medical problems. If you're obese, you are at increased risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, and liver disease. Although non-surgical weight loss should be the first line treatment for obesity; for those who have been unsuccessful losing weight on their own or with medical therapies, surgical intervention may be a solution to fighting this condition.
There are various types of bariatric procedures for the treatment of obesity. The two procedures most commonly offered are gastric sleeve and gastric bypass surgery. In the gastric sleeve, a large portion (about 80%) of the stomach is stapled off and removed. In this operation, normal anatomic path for digestion is maintained. The gastric sleeve initiates weight loss by reducing the volume of food that can be held by the stomach, but also causes hormonal changes that increase satiety and reduce food cravings. A gastric bypass involves reducing the size of the functional stomach by 95% and also changing the anatomic path for digestion. The intestines are rearranged so that a large portion of the intestine does not take part in absorption of the food that you do eat. There are benefits and downsides to both operation, but both operations lead to pronounced weight loss. To learn more, seek out a surgical consultation.