Bariatric Surgery

What is Bariatric Surgery?

Bariatric surgery or weight loss surgery is a surgical procedure performed on individuals who are severely obese. This surgery is typically recommended to individuals who attempted other weight loss methods and were unsuccessful and have critical health problems. Bariatric surgery aims to reduce the size of the stomach to restrict the quantity of food the person eats or absorbs.

What are the Types of Bariatric Surgery?

Each type of bariatric surgery has its own advantages and disadvantages. Your bariatric surgeon decides which type of surgery is suitable for you according to your health history and overall health condition. Here are some common types of bariatric surgery:

• Sleeve Gastrectomy: In this surgery, the stomach is detached from its surrounding organs, and using surgical staples approximately 80 to 85% of the stomach is removed from the body. The remaining stomach which is the shape of a banana holds less food than earlier and eventually helps consume fewer calories. By removing the majority of the stomach our hunger is reduced and we can maintain an optimal body weight.
• Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB): Gastric bypass surgery is one of the most effective bariatric surgeries. In this type of surgery, the stomach is divided into two portions. The first is the size of an egg and the other portion ( larger part) is the remaining stomach. The larger part of the stomach is bypassed from the rest by using surgical staples. The doctor then attaches the smaller stomach to a part of the small intestine (Roux limb). The food you consume reaches the smaller portion of the stomach, bypassing the remaining stomach and the upper part of the small intestine. This means you consume less than you used to earlier which reduces the amount of calories you absorb.
• Gastric banding: Gastric banding is a procedure wherein a silicon band is placed on the top portion of the stomach, creating a small pouch. This limits the amount of food an individual can consume and decelerates the emptying of the stomach.
• Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch (BPD/DS): This procedure is the same as gastric bypass surgery. The procedure begins by creating a small tube-shaped stomach pouch and bypassing the remaining stomach. Once the pouch is made, a part of the small intestine is detached and tied up to the newly created pouch. This allows the food to reach the sleeve pouch and eventually helps consume fewer calories.

What Happens During a Bariatric Surgery?

Before undergoing bariatric surgery or any surgery, a patient goes through a pre-operative phase that helps them prepare for the procedure. Every surgery including bariatric surgery has a pre-operative, surgical procedure, and post-operative phase that helps ensure a successful outcome.

During the preoperative phase of bariatric surgery, the surgeon will conduct a physical assessment, medical check, and tests to assess whether the patient is fit for the procedure.

Once in the operating room, the patient will be given anesthesia to ensure they do not feel any pain during the surgery. Once the anesthesia is given, the surgeon will create certain incisions (cuts) to locate the intestines and stomach. Your healthcare provider can create one or more incisions depending on the surgery being performed (laparoscopic or open surgery)

Once the incisions are made, the surgeon will perform the necessary steps according to the technique selected. The procedure can be either resizing the stomach and modifying a portion of the small intestine or placing a silicon band on top of the stomach to create a small pouch. All these ways help limit the amount of food an individual can consume. Thereafter, the surgeon will close the incisions using staples or sutures.

The patient is then monitored for some time as soon as they wake up from the anesthesia. Depending on the surgical procedure, the patient stays for a day or two and is expected to follow certain post-operative tips to recover well.

What are the Advantages of Bariatric Surgery?

One of the biggest advantages of bariatric surgery is that it helps severely obese people lose significant and sustained weight loss. However, there are more benefits of this surgery than just helping people lose weight. Here are some common benefits that are beyond just losing weight:

• Remission for type 2 diabetes: Bariatric surgery is one of the most effective surgery that helps in the long-term treatment of type 2 diabetes. The patient can be insulin-free for at least 3 to 4 years after surgery.
• Better cardiovascular health: Weight loss surgery like bariatric surgery can help in treating cardiovascular conditions like arrhythmias, heart failure, stroke, and hypertension. Also, it is generally seen that cholesterol and blood pressure levels return to normal, enhancing overall health.
• Lower risk of certain cancers: According to the National Care Institute, medical experts have found a link between excessive weight and cancer risk. Research conveys that excess fat in the body can lead to several types of cancer like kidney and pancreatic cancers, breast cancer, and colorectal cancer.
• Solves the issue of obstructive sleep apnea: Sleep apnea is a sleep illness wherein breathing repeatedly stops and starts. One of the biggest risk factors for sleep apnea is obesity. Patients suffering from sleep apnea use a CPAP machine to breathe properly. This machine has a hose that is connected to a mask ( that is worn by the patient) that delivers constant air pressure to breathe adequately. Losing excessive weight allows individuals to stop using the CPAP machine

How to Prepare for Bariatric Surgery?

Some of the steps to follow before bariatric surgery?

• Undergo research before your weight loss surgery. This can be achieved by speaking to people who have undergone bariatric procedures or learning from the information on the internet. Doing your homework helps you have genuine expectations of the surgery.
• Your bariatric surgeon may conduct a medical evaluation to determine your eligibility for the procedure. Therefore, undergo the assessment and diagnostic tests as ordered by your healthcare provider.
• Your doctor might ask you to lose certain weight before surgery to minimize surgical risks. Ensure you do the same by practicing the steps as advised by him.
• Follow a pre-operative diet as recommended by your surgeon. The diet may include a low-calorie and high-protein diet, like lean protein and plant-based options, to shrink the liver and enhance surgical safety.
• Be fully informed of the type of bariatric surgery, its risks and advantages, and the pre-operative guidelines to follow after the procedure. This will help you have pragmatic and sensible expectations of the procedure.

What are the Recovery Tips to Follow After Bariatric Surgery?

Here are some post-operative tips to follow after bariatric surgery:

• You might not be able to sleep properly on your side after surgery. If that's the case, use a post-surgery pillow that can provide you with extra support.
• Don't immediately start with solid food after the procedure. Instead consume low-carb and protein-rich options. Also, ensure to chew your food properly.
• Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water each day. Skip drinks that have high-calorie content.
• Wear loose fitting clothes that will not rub against your incisions.
• After every meal, wash or sanitize your hands properly to minimize the chances of complications during your recovery period.