Procedures Available
Bariatric surgical procedures are typically performed laparoscopically. When a laparoscopic procedure is performed, several small incisions are made in the abdominal wall instead of one, large incision as with traditional surgery.
The surgeon then inserts a thin telescope into the abdomen through one of the incisions. The telescope's view is projected onto a video monitor, allowing the surgeon to perform the procedure using narrow instruments inserted through the other incisions.
There are many advantages to the laparoscopic approach. Because the procedure is less invasive, studies show that patients experience less pain after surgery, have a shorter hospital stay and recover faster. Other benefits can include less risk of complications, such as infection and hernia.
Not all patients are candidates for laparoscopic surgery; patients must be evaluated individually to see if this is an option for them. If it is not, the procedure may still be possible with the traditional "open" approach.
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Adjustable Gastric Banding
During a laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding procedure, an inflatable silicone band is placed around the uppermost part of the stomach, creating a small stomach pouch that limits the amount of food you are able to eat at one time and increasing the time it takes for the stomach to empty. As a result, you should feel full sooner and satisfied longer. The band can be adjusted by injecting saline into a port placed underneath the skin on your abdomen. This helps to maintain the band's effectiveness.
Sleeve Gastrectomy
This procedure involves removing approximately 75% of volume of the stomach, leaving a slender stomach "sleeve." By reducing the size, the stomach has a total capacity of approximately three to five ounces, which means patients generally feel full or satisfied after eating only a small amount of food. This surgery also causes changes in hormones that work to further promote a feeling of fullness. Sleeve gastrectomy permanently reduces the size of the stomach, limiting the amount of food you can eat and helping you to feel full faster and longer.
Gastric Bypass
This procedure involves reducing the size of the stomach, the amount of food you can eat before you feel full, as well as bypassing some of the small intestines, reducing the amount of food the body will absorb. This operation is also considered the gold standard for weight loss surgery, as it has been in existence the longest: since 1967.
Duodenal Switch
This procedure combines reducing the size of the stomach by removing approximately 75% and creating a shorter pathway for food to digest. The objective is to reduce the amount of food you can take in before feeling full and limiting the amount of time the body has to capture calories from the food during digestion. This procedure also involves removal of the area of the stomach where much of the hunger hormone is produced. The recovery and hospital stay for the duodenal switch is similar to the gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy.
A less invasive version of the traditional duodenal switch (DS) has become an option in recent years. Known as the modified duodenal switch (ModDS), it is also sometimes referred to as SADS, SIPS, SADI, SADI-S or Loop DS procedure. Instead of two connections – as in the roux-en-y gastric bypass or the more traditional duodenal switch – a single connection is made in a so-called loop configuration. By having one connection instead of two, the surgery is often performed more quickly and with less risk of leaks. Furthermore, in the ModDS procedure, only about 50% of the small intestine is bypassed. Like the gastric bypass (RYGB), the ModDS is both a malabsorptive and restrictive surgery. Restrictive means that the stomach is reduced in size, which restricts the amount of food that you can eat. Malabsorptive surgeries reduce the amount of nutrients that your body absorbs by bypassing a portion of the small intestine. The combination of malabsorption and restriction can make the ModDS surgery, like the RYGB, extremely effective at enabling patients to lose weight and keep it off. Patients can lose more weight with bariatric surgeries that have both restrictive and malabsorptive components.
Intragastric Balloon
The intragastric balloon is a procedure that is designed to assist with weight loss in people who ideally have a BMI greater than 27. With this procedure the intragastric balloon is temporarily placed in the stomach (for a maximum of six months), helping you feel less hunger. It is designed to be combined with proper nutrition and exercise for maximum effects. The procedure does not require any surgical incisions and patients do not need to undergo general anesthesia. Placement and removal typically take 30 minutes and are completed on an outpatient basis.
What are the Risks Associated with Weight Loss Surgery?
All surgeries carry some risk. Your bariatric surgeon will review the potential complications and risks with you well before your surgery. Pneumonia, blood clots, infection, bleeding, leaking at staple lines, as well as ulcers, hernia and gallstones may occur, but are infrequent. Generally, the risks associated with weight loss surgery are significantly less than the risk of remaining morbidly obese.
For more information or to sign up for a weight loss seminar, contact:
Bariatric Director
(479) 757-2040
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Patient results may vary. Consult your physician about the benefits and risks of any surgical procedure or treatment.