There are three main types of bariatric procedures conducted in Australia. These are as follows:
- Laporoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding (The LAP BAND system).
- Gastric Bypass.
- Non-Adjustable gastric bypass (Sleeve Gastrectomy).
Of the three major forms of bariatric procedures executed in Australia, the LAP-BAND system is the most commonly used (recent research gathered that 95% of patients have chosen to use this type of surgery).
Studies also verify that a gastric banding can lose just over 60% of their surplus weight within the first year.
LAP BAND Procedure
The LAP BAND procedure is a straightforward 20-minute procedure performed by an accomplished surgeon in a day surgery clinic where an adjustable ‘restrictive band’ is positioned around the peak of the stomach. The adjustable gastric band works by condensing the amount of food that can be eaten in a sitting and by aiding you to feel ‘full’ more speedily. Ultimately, you feel more fulfilled more immediately and the urge to overeat is taken away.
Advantages
- The LAP BANDS system is adjustable and reversible.
- The surgery is performed through small incisions and with long shafted instruments.
- There are no major cuts to the abdomen.
- The gastric band, like a belt, is fastened around the top of the stomach.
- Unlike other bariatric surgery, the stomach and intestines re not cut or re routed.
- The band presses on the stomach creating sensations of fullness. The band can be adjusted to increase or decrease hunger sensations.
- Only small amounts of food can be eaten at once because of the tiny pouch above the band.
- Even though weight loss surgery patients often have many other serious illnesses, the comparable risk is about the same as for a laparoscip cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal).
Risks
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Wound complications
- Clots in leg veins
- Erosion of the band (breaking down of the band)
- Prolapse (where the band slips down)
- Port infection (skin infection where the tubing exits the body)
- Device failure (such as a tubing fracture)
Gastric Bypass
With this procedure a tiny stomach pouch is fashioned. A Y shaped part of the small intestine is then connected to the pouch to permit food to bypass the lower stomach, the first segment of the small intestine, and the second segment of the small intestine. This bypass decreases the absorption of nutrients and so reduces the calorie intake leading to weight loss.
Advantages of gastric bypass surgery
The chief advantage of a gastric bypass surgery is the remarkable weight loss it can generate. The weight loss can rapidly improve or resolve other health concerns associated with carrying severe levels of surplus weight.
These serious health issues may include:
- Type 2 diabetes
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
Improving related illnesses like type two diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol may considerably reduce the threat of a stroke or a heart attack. Of course losing surplus weight can also increase your value of life and your capability to execute every day tasks. Within the first two years of surgery you can anticipate to lose over 50% of your extra weight.
Nonetheless Gastric bypass is not a miracle. Losing weight can positively improve your health nevertheless this chief surgery will only work if you are dedicated to the process of altering your daily life for good. At the end of the day however, the responsibility lies with you to follow and abide to a new healthy living regime in order to gain the most beneficial health outcomes.
Risks.
- Bleeding, infections and reactions to the anesthesia aswell as the following complications, vitamin and mineral deficiency, dehydration, gallstones, bleeding stomach ulcer, hernia at the incision site, intolerance to certain foods, kidney stones, low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia)
- Dumping syndrome. This is a condition were stomach contents move too quickly through the small intestine causing nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, dizziness and sweating.
- Blood clots in the legs.
- Leaking at one of the staple lines in the stomach.
- Narrowing of the opening between the stomach and small intestine.
For the duration of the first 3 to 6 months following the surgical procedure your body will be under going numerous changes and you may encounter the subsequent side effects:
- Body aches.
- Feeling tired, as if you have the flu.
- Feeling cold.
- Dry skin.
- Hair thinning and hair loss.
- Mood changes.
Sleeve Gastrectomy
The sleeve gastrectomy procedure requires utilizing staples to produce a lengthy tubular sleeve of stomach beside the lesser arc side of the stomach, together with the majority of the fundus and the body of the stomach, being detached permanently.
The new, lengthy and slim ‘sleeve’ of a stomach is smaller than the original stomach, limiting the quantity of food that it is able to hold, and so supporting weight loss. The key outcome of the procedure is to take out the piece of the stomach that produces ghrelin (a hormone that plays a chief function in determining how hungry we are). As weight decreases the stomach starts to generate an amplified amount of ghrelin that informs the brain to amplify appetite. Patients who have had a sleeve gastrectomy usually have a significantly condensed appetite and as they lose weight do not experience the hunger pains that other dieters tend to do.
The benefit of sleeve gastrectomy over the other restrictive operations is that with the sleeve gastrectomy the whole gastric tube fills when eating so patients feel full rather than obstructed. As the sleeve gastrectomy does not have a band, there are not many food intolerances in the long term.
