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Surgical Options
Is weight-loss surgery right for you?
Weight-loss procedures, including gastric bypass and lap-band™
surgeries, are the only proven methods of
achieving sustained weight loss in patients suffering severe obesity
and its associated illnesses.
Thousands of people die from complications of morbid obesity each year. Statistics show that weight loss may b e the most effective treatment for morbidly obese people.
An article in the Journal of the American Medical Association, 2004, 292: 1724-1737, cites many advantages to bariatric weight loss procedures, including:
- 83.7% of Type 2 diabeses cases are resolved, often within days
of surgery.
- Gastric bypass surgery successfully resolves more Type 2 diabetes
cases than purely restricitve procedures.
- Substantial weight reduction: 61.6% of excess weight is lost.
- 96.9% of hyperlipidemia cases are resolved or improved.
- 87.1% of hypertension cases are resolved or improved.
- A substantial improvement in a patient's overall quality of
life: excess weight is lost, many weight-related health problems
are resolved, improved appearance, improved social life, improved
chances to obtain and retain employment.
Other studies have implied that weight loss surgery may:
- Greatly reduce your risk of cancer.
- Improve reflux disease.
- Cure sleep apnea.
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Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass
The Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass is considered by many doctors
to be the current "gold standard" procedure. It is the most
frequently performed weight-loss procedure in the United States.
In this procedure, stapling creates a small stomach pouch.
The remainder of the stomach is not removed but is completely
stapled shut and divided from the lower stomach pouch. The
outlet from this newly formed pouch empties directly into
the lower portion of the jejuunum, thus bypassing the duodenum
and reducing calorie consumption.
Advantages
- The average excess weight loss in the Roux-en-Y procedure
is generally higher in a compliant patient than with purely
restrictive procedures.
- One year after surgery, weight loss can average 77% of
excess body weight
- Studies show that after 10 t0 14 years, 60% of excess
body weight loss has been maintained by patients.
- Provides appetite suppression in a large percentage of
patients.
- Requires less behavioral modification.
- Less tolerance for foods high in sugar and fat (reduces
the possibility of "cheating").
- Does not require the permanent implantation of a foreign
body.
- Time-tested procedure with follow-up data exceeding fifteen
years.
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Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding
The Gastric Banding procedure is a purely restrictive surgical
procedure in which a band is placed around the uppermost part
of the stomach. This band divides the stomach into two portions:
one small and one large portion. The outlet from the smaller
portion is restricted by the band and slows the emptying of
the food, helping to create the feeling of fullness. This
feeling of fullness is the primary mechanism by which the
band produces weight loss. Because there is not the malabsorbtive
or "bypass" component to this procedure, food digestion occurs
through the normal digestive and absorption process.
Advantages
- Restricts the amount of food that can be consumed at
a meal.
- Food consumed passes through the digestive tract in the
usual order, allowing nutrients to be fully absorbed into
the body.
- In a U.S. study, the mean weight-loss at three years
after the surgery was 36.2% of excess weight.
- Band can be adjusted as an office-based procedure using
a port which lies just beneath your skin. Adjustments enable
the surgeon to increase or decrease restriction.
- May be the procedure of choice in patients with inflammatory
bowel disease.
- Surgery can be reversed.
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Call 210-368-7445 now to sign up for a FREE Weight Loss Surgery
Seminar. |
