Weight loss surgery, also known as bariatric surgery in medical terminology, refers to a group of gastrointestinal surgical procedures carried out on patients suffering from chronic morbid obesity (i.e., at least 100 lbs overweight, or a body mass index, BMI, of 40 or greater, for more than 5 years). It is used to facilitate weight loss and avoid the risk to life-threatening diseases associated with morbid obesity, such as type II diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, degenerative arthritis, etc.

Weight loss surgery is normally resorted to as a last measure when an all other conventional weight loss methods, such as diet control, exercise and weight loss medications, have failed in treating the person for morbid obesity. It may be pointed out that weight loss surgery is distinct from liposuction in that the latter is more of a cosmetic procedure rather than a medical procedure.

What does weight loss surgery involve?

According to The American Society for Bariatric Surgery, there are basically two approaches to weight loss surgery:

1. Restrictive procedures, which help reduce the capacity for food intake in a single meal but do not interfere with the normal absorption (digestion) of food.

2. Malabsorptive procedures, which help reduce absorption of calories from food by altering the process of digestion.

Restrictive procedures are mainly of two types:

1. Lap band surgery, which involves placing laproscopically a silicone gastric band around the top of the stomach in order to create a very small stomach pouch. As a result, the person starts feeling full with just a small portion of food. Food will then slowly empty from the smaller pouch into the lower part of the stomach and into the rest of the digestive tract.

2. Gastric bypass surgery, which involves stapling of the smaller, upper part of the stomach to separate it from the rest of the stomach and rerouting the small intestine to connect it to the smaller stomach pouch.

Lap band surgery is a relatively simple and less risky procedure compared to gastric bypass surgery. It requires just 1 to 3 days of hospital stay as opposed to 5 to 8 days in the latter case. Moreover, there is no malabsorption of vitamins and minerals after lap band surgery, which is not always the case with gastric bypass surgery. However, the expected weight loss over a period of 18 months is lesser (50 to 60% of the excess weight) compared to gastric bypass surgery (70 to75%). Both the procedures are reversible, but lap band surgery is much more easily reversible.

There is a third type of restrictive procedure too, called sleeve gastrectomy, that is less commonly used. In this the surgeon removes approximately 60% of the stomach laparoscopically so that the stomach takes the shape of a tube or “sleeve”.

Malabsorptive procedures are rarely used these days due to the problems of malnutrition and nutritional deficiencies caused by them.

Any risks?

In addition to general risks associated with any kind of major surgery, weight loss surgery can pose its own complications. Discomforting symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, weakness, hernia, gallstones and nutritional deficiencies can crop up after weight loss surgery.

Is it for you?

Though the ultimate answer to the question whether you qualify as a candidate for weight loss surgery or not rests entirely with your bariatric surgeon, here are some pointers that can help you in your decision-making process. If you have been more than 100 lbs overweight for more than 5 years, if your body has failed to respond to the conventional weight loss methods, and if you are not suffering from any major disorder that makes surgery difficult, you can seriously consider weight loss surgery as a feasible option. Consult your doctor for detailed information in order to weigh the risks against benefits of weight loss surgery.

Finally, remember that even if you keep realistic goals in mind, the real success of weight loss surgery is strongly dependent on your making long-term changes in your diet and lifestyle.

As a society, we have become more health conscious and concerned with weight gain so it comes as no surprise that there is a plethora of weight loss options, from dieting to elective weight loss surgery. However, for many obese individuals, it is not only an issue of aesthetics. Weight loss surgery limits the amount of food you can take in. Some operations also restrict the amount of food you can digest. Many people who have the surgery lose weight quickly. If you follow diet and exercise recommendations, you can keep most of the weight off. The surgery has risks and complications, however, including infections, hernias and blood clots.

Weight Loss Surgery: For

* Quick weight loss

* Improved health

* Increased longevity

* Psychosocial adjustment

* Decrease in economic costs

There are several categories of weight loss surgery:

* Restrictive – Reduces the amount of food the stomach can hold but doesn’t interfere with normal digestion of food and nutrients.

* Malabsorptive – Shortens the digestive tract to limit the number of calories and nutrients that can be absorbed.

* Combination – Restricts the amount of food the stomach can hold and reduces the number of calories absorbed by altering the digestive tract.

Which Surgical Procedures Are Considered To Be Successful?

The surgical procedures in which the patients are able to lose about 50% of the extra body weight are said to be successful and the patients will be able to maintain the weight loss for the next five year period of time. The results still depend on the clinical condition of the patient and how skillful the surgeon is.

s a society we tend to view obesity as being something of a “personal problem” which most people could have avoided if they had taken better care of themselves. Weight loss surgery is also all too often viewed as a “cosmetic” procedure designed to make people look and feel better and to allow them to get back to leading the active and enjoyable lifestyle which they enjoyed before they put on so much weight.

It is all too easy to ignore the fact that we as a society have created many of the conditions which all too frequently lead to obesity and that those suffering from severe obesity face the very real possibility of death without the ability to get the help they need.