Struggling with weight loss is a lifelong ordeal for many people, with the potential for it to cause a number of different medical problems in the process. If you’re uncomfortable at your current weight or looking to alleviate yourself of some of the issues that you are currently experiencing with your weight, there are a number of weight loss surgeries that you could pursue.
The pathway of bariatric surgery (or weight loss surgery), is an effective long term solution for weight management. The team at Perth Bariatric Surgery have put together this article, aimed at giving a broad explanation of the different types of weight loss surgeries, and how they may be beneficial for your situation.
Types of Weight Loss Surgeries
Generally speaking, bariatric surgery involves altering your digestive tract which ultimately affects the way in which your body digests the food you eat. These surgeries involve reducing the size of your stomach allowing you to eat less food and absorb fewer calories while still feeling full. Listed below are some of the most common types of weight loss surgeries that you may have heard of before.
Adjustable Gastric Banding
For an adjustable gastric banding surgery, the surgeon utilises a small inflatable band to help squeeze the stomach into two parts. These two parts being a smaller upper section, and a larger lower pouch. The parts themselves are still connected via a small channel, helping to slow down the emptying of the upper section. This then helps people to reduce the amount they eat, as they begin to feel full sooner.
One of the key benefits of this surgery is that the recovery is usually faster than other surgeries, and you can also choose to have the band removed in the future. These bands are also adjustable, depending on your weight loss process, with doctors being able to adjust the tightness of the band.
However, there are much more effective types of bariatric surgery and the gastric band won’t often result in dramatic weight loss, and can be associated with other complications. We do NOT recommend gastric band surgery at Perth Bariatric Surgery. However, we do offer the removal of gastric bands.
Gastric Bypass Surgery
As part of the gastric bypass surgery, the surgeon creates a smaller stomach pouch which is then directly joined to the intestine, bypassing ~150-200cm of small intestine, depending on the circumstances. As the name suggests, the surgery allows food to bypass most of the stomach, resulting in fewer calories being absorbed into the body.
People who undergo gastric bypass surgery often receive beneficial long term results. However, due to the nature of the surgery, patients require a daily multivitamin supplement to ensure adequate nutrition.
Gastric Sleeve Surgery
In this surgery, the surgeon removes around 75% of the stomach, leaving what is referred to as a small tube shaped stomach. The gastric sleeve surgery works particularly well for a wide variety of patients and is often simpler to perform than the gastric bypass.
Gastric sleeve patients still require a daily multivitamin supplement, however there is a lower risk of nutritional deficiency as the intestines remain unaffected by the surgery.
Gastric Balloon/Intragastric Balloon System
For the gastric balloon procedure, deflated balloon into the stomach through the mouth. Once the balloon is in place, it is then filled with a saline solution, helping to create a sense of fullness in the patient.
The benefits for this procedure are that it doesn’t involve any incisions and the balloon is only in place temporarily. During this temporary period, the patient should expect to see around a 10% loss in excess body weight. This may be an option for patients looking to lose a smaller amount of weight, or those not suitable for other surgical procedures.
Which Weight Loss Surgery is Best?
As discussed, these different weight loss surgeries benefit people in numerous ways, with some being more suitable for particular body types. It is also important to note that not all surgeons routinely perform all these surgeries, and so it is always best to discuss your different options with your specialist surgeon.
Important factors including your body type, how much weight you need to lose, previous medical history, and any illnesses you may have all come into play when deciding on the most beneficial weight loss surgery for your specific situation. If you are considering a bariatric surgery, please contact the Perth Bariatric Surgery today so that we may make the appropriate assessments for your particular condition.
