Bariatric Health and Weight Loss Surgery
Understanding gastric bypass and adjustable gastric banding
Morbid obesity can be a fatal disease. Many conditions and diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, cancer, stroke and asthma, are linked directly to severe obesity, and a number of them can be life-threatening. Although many steps have been taken to cure this growing disease, currently two-thirds of the population within the United States is considered overweight, and more than half suffer from obesity.
By most accounts, eating properly, exercise and implementing lifestyle changes should help people lose weight and keep it off. However, this formula does not work for many people. If traditional weight loss methods have not worked, gastric bypass, also known as weight loss surgery, may be considered.
In addition to greater weight loss than conventional treatment, weight loss surgery may also improve the quality of life by effectively resolving or improving related health conditions such as type 2 diabetes or sleep apnea.
If you choose to have bariatric surgery, your choice should be based on discussions with your doctor and/or your surgeon, including goals and strategy for long-term care. Patient selection for bariatric surgery is based on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) criteria:
100 pounds or more above ideal body weight, or a Body mass index (BMI) of 40 or greater. BMI of 35 or greater with one or more obesity-related health conditions.
Other factors your doctor or surgeon may consider include:
History of documented dietary weight loss attempts. Lifelong commitment to dietary, exercise, and medical guidelines and follow-up care. Psychological evaluation.
Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital offers the following types of bariatric/weight loss surgery:
- Gastric Banding and Adjustable Gastric Banding (or LAP-BAND®)
The band is placed around the very top portion of the stomach to create a small stomach pouch. Creating this restricted stomach space in the upper portion of the stomach causes a longer lasting feeling of fullness or lack of hunger.
View additional detailed information on gastric banding and adjustable gastric banding.
LAP-BAND® System FAQs
- Gastric Bypass and Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass
Gastric bypass surgery makes the stomach smaller and allows food to bypass part of the small intestine. Patient feel full more quickly than when their stomach was its original size, which reduces the amount of food eaten and thus the calories consumed. Bypassing part of the intestine also results in fewer calories being absorbed. View additional information on gastric bypass.
GStomaphyX is an incisionless surgery that aids in the treatment of weight loss. The StomaphyX procedure is a surgical method of fastening tissue and modifying or reshaping the gastrointestinal tract without incisions. View additional information on StomaphyX.
- Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy (or Gastric Sleeve)
Sleeve gastrectomy is a surgery performed on the stomach, in which two-thirds of the stomach is removed. This restricts food intake, typically resulting in quicker satiety (sense of fullness) and decreased appetite. Learn more about sleeve gastrectomy.
- Revisional Bariatric Surgery
At Good Samaritan Hospital,
Dr. Jeffrey Rosen,
board-certified in surgery,
performs bariatric/weight loss surgery.
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