Visit http://www.ciboclinic.com/ to learn more about the weight loss options available. Compare between gastric bypass surgery, Lap-Band surgery and other options.

1. WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY
– COMPARING YOUR
OPTIONS

2.  Even though weight loss surgery, or bariatric
surgery is considered more of a last resort for
most doctors and patients, it is still a viable option
for those who need it. Obesity statistics have
been on the rise for quite some time, and when all
else fails, weight loss surgery can help to reverse
the situation and restore a patient to better health.
 There are only a few real options for weight loss
surgery, each with its good and bad points. Your
doctor will present all the options and ultimately
the choice is yours.

3. Reasons
 Generally, just being slightly overweight isn’t enough of a reason to pursue weight
loss surgery. However, there are reasons why having a surgical intervention is your
best or sometimes only option. Obesity may be the primary problem, but it does
have the ability to spawn many additional health problems that are quite severe.
Weight loss surgery can help you sustain a healthy weight so that you can improve
or resolve some conditions that presented itself when you were at an unhealthy
weight.
 Type 2 diabetes is one reason why someone would consider weight loss surgery.
According to the American Journal of Medicine, up to 82% of weight loss surgery
patients will see a reversal of Type 2 diabetes symptoms within two years.
 High blood pressure and heart disease, caused by obesity, are two other reasons
that weight loss surgery is used. Inability to conceive, sleep apnea and severe joint
pain are more of the effects that obesity can have and why bariatric surgery may be
prescribed.
 A vast improvement in overall quality of life is a significant reason why someone
would choose to have weight loss surgery. Just the ability to participate in regular
activities and lead a normal life is more than enough reason for many people.

4. Adjustable Gastric Banding
 One of the main options for weight loss surgery is called
adjustable gastric banding. Most people would recognize one of
the more popular brands of gastric band, called the ‘Lap Band.’
 In adjustable gastric banding, an inflatable band is placed around
the stomach to create two sections. The upper section is smaller
and the lower section is larger. The band creates a narrow
channel between the two sections of stomach. This way, when
food enters the top portion of the stomach, it empties into the
lower section at a much slower rate. This means that the patient
can only take in about one half to one full cup of food at a
time, before feeling full. With the band in place, calorie
consumption is greatly reduced and weight loss occurs.
 Adjustable gastric banding is a minimally invasive surgery, done
by making tiny incisions and using a camera called a laparoscope
to perform surgery. The recovery time is faster than other types of
weight loss surgery and the band can be loosened or tightened if
adjustments are necessary without further surgery.
 Some people who opt for adjustable gastric banding report slower
weight loss if they are not involved in a proper post-operative
program, that supports and monitors their progress along the
way, than one with more invasive forms of weight loss surgery.
Due to the small pouch at the top of the stomach, you also have to
be coached as to how and what to eat so you don’t cause any
complications that can be easily avoided.

5. Gastric Bypass
 Another weight loss surgery option that most people have
likely heard of is called gastric bypass. This kind of
surgery is usually more invasive than gastric banding, as
the stomach and small intestine itself is actually
rearranged.
 In a gastric bypass surgery, the surgeon divides the
stomach into two sections and then seals the upper and
lower section off from one another. Then, the upper
portion of stomach is connected to the bottom part of the
small intestine. This creates a shortcut for the food to
take, because it bypasses the lower section of stomach
after it is eaten. The fact that food misses a portion of the
digestive tract means fewer calories and very important
nutrients are absorbed by the body.
 Weight loss with gastric bypass surgery is usually quite
fast and quite dramatic. The patient may continue to lose
weight for up to two years, but most of the weight is
usually lost in the first six to nine months. Studies have
shown that the digestive tract usually becomes more
efficient so after a 10 year period the weight loss is usually
the same as what is lost with adjustable gastric banding
without having a potentially dangerous intervention.
 One negative aspect of gastric bypass surgery is that just
as the body is able to avoid calorie absorption, it also
absorbs fewer nutrients. Patients usually have to take
supplements to make up for the nutritional deficiencies
that are created by the surgery. It’s also possible for the
stomach to dump undigested food into the intestines and
cause bloating, nausea, pain and diarrhea. Unlike

6. Sleeve Gastrectomy
 A lesser-known form of restrictive weight loss
surgery is called sleeve gastrectomy. This is a
relatively new laparoscopic surgery where roughly
75 % of the patient’s stomach is removed. The
remaining 25% is in the form of a narrow sleeve
that connects directly to the intestines. A lot of the
time, sleeve gastrectomy is the first in a series of
weight loss surgeries, but sometimes it’s used all
on its own.
 Sleeve gastrectomy is often used when a patient is
dangerously obese or too sick for one of the more
complex surgeries. In many cases, a second
surgery is scheduled down the road when some
weight loss has occurred and the patient’s health
has improved. Sleeve gastrectomy doesn’t
interfere with the absorption of nutrients like with
gastric bypass.
 Since sleeve gastrectomy is newer than other
surgeries, the long-term benefits aren’t known
yet, and the procedure is not reversible like
adjustable gastric banding. Because of the size of
the sleeve you may also run the risk of
complication due to leakage if the surgical staples

7. Biliopancreatic Diversion
 Biliopancreatic diversion is basically a more drastic gastric
bypass. With this surgery, up to 70% of the stomach is
removed and the surgeon bypasses even more of the small
intestine.
 Biliopancreatic diversion usually results in even greater
weight loss than gastric bypass, with up to 80% of excess
weight being lost. The remaining stomach is usually larger
than what is formed with gastric bypass or gastric banding, so
larger meals can be eaten.
 Of course, since it’s a more extreme gastric bypass, the
nutritional deficiencies are also more severe. The dumping
that occurs with gastric bypass is also enhanced, and ulcers
or hernias aren’t uncommon.

8. Which Surgery Is Best?
 Choosing the ideal weight loss surgery depends on several
different factors. Your current state of health, your past
abdominal surgery history, and your weight loss objectives
will all play a role.
 In some cases, minimally invasive surgeries like adjustable
gastric banding won’t be possible, while in other cases it will
be the only real option. It’s important to sit down with your
doctor and discuss all of the options that are available to you.
 All types of surgery carry risks of infection and other
complications, so it’s crucial that you are educated
beforehand. Even though weight loss surgery will help you
lose a lot of weight, you still have to commit yourself to
change and a new lifestyle. Then and only then will you find
long-term weight loss success.