The basics of gastric bypass surgery

For some people, it can be next to impossible to lose a great deal of weight. When the weight of an individual starts to affect their health to a high degree, it may be time to take drastic action to solve the problem. To that end, many turn to gastric bypass surgery. In this article, we'll give you a basic overview of the procedure so that you can understand exactly what it entails. Once you know more about the surgery, you can better determine whether or not it is a proper option for you.

Gastric bypass surgery helps many to lose weight by making the person's stomach a smaller size. This is done via surgery, and it results in the patient being unable to consume a large amount of food without getting sick. This can cut down the person's caloric intake to a certain degree, allowing their bodies to burn fat more efficiently, effectively curbing their problem with obesity. The surgery is often recommended for those who have a body fat index that is at a level of 40 or higher. This fat index represents a significant risk to the health of an individual if left untreated, so therefore, bypass surgery can be a godsend to those who have trouble losing weight.

There are a few conditions that can denote a perfect candidate for the surgery. For one, the surgery is most often employed in those who have been obese for a period of time that is at least five years or longer. It's not recommended for those who have a history of alcohol abuse, or those who have a problem with depression. Since the surgery is quite demanding of the body, it's recommended to only be performed on those who are between 18 and 65 years of age.

From a medical standpoint, the procedure is performed via a tightening of the stomach through the use of staples or a band that can trim down the stomach's size. This smaller stomach is then connected directly to the small intestine, with the bottom portion of the stomach being banded off and not used. There are two commonly employed surgical methods for achieving this procedure; one is an 'open' gastric bypass surgery in which a large incision is made in the abdomen. There is also the laproscopic approach in which a smaller incision is made and the procedure is performed through the use of small tools and a camera mounted on a tube to achieve the surgeon's objectives. A patient getting the surgery performed can expect a hospital stay between four and six nights while their body adjusts to the new way of processing food.

With a surgery as drastic as gastric bypass surgery, there are definitely some risks that are involved. You face the risk of developing an infection from the abdomen incision, as well as the chance of the stomach leaking into the abdominal cavity. Blood clot in the lung also may occur, and roughly thirty three percent of all people who get the surgery experience a side effect such as gall stones, anemia, or osteoporosis.

Gastric banding news on the Web

Allergan Stops Lap-Band Sales to '1-800-Get-Thin' Surgeons - Medscape

89.3 KPCC

Allergan Stops Lap-Band Sales to '1-800-Get-Thin' Surgeons
Medscape
February 4, 2012 — Medical device maker Allergan announced February 2 that it will no longer sell its gastric-banding device to a group of Southern California weight-loss surgery centers that are under intense scrutiny for their safety record, ...
Companies behind gastric bypass bands refuse to sell to SoCal surgery centers89.3 KPCC

all 54 news articles »

More weight loss seen with gastric bypass than banding - USA TODAY

USA TODAY

More weight loss seen with gastric bypass than banding
USA TODAY
By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay Gastric bypass surgery results in faster and longer-lasting weight loss than does gastric banding, according to a new study by Swiss investigators. Gastric bypass surgery results in faster and longer-lasting weight loss ...
Bypass Beats Band for Weight LossWall Street Journal
Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Superior to Gastric BandingMedscape
Gastric Bypass Works Better Than Gastric Banding In Losing WeightDaily Gossip
Chicago Tribune -Family Practice News Digital Network -CBS News
all 50 news articles »

Legal Problems Pile Up for '1-800-Get-Thin' Surgeons - Medscape

Legal Problems Pile Up for '1-800-Get-Thin' Surgeons
Medscape
February 2, 2012 — A group of weight-loss surgery centers in southern California already chastised by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for how they advertise laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding face new legal challenges from seemingly ...

Star Jones sports a fuller figure, nine years on from gastric band surgery - Daily Mail

Daily Mail

Star Jones sports a fuller figure, nine years on from gastric band surgery
Daily Mail
By Daily Mail Reporter She famously went through a gastric bypass surgery back in 2003 in a last ditch attempt to shed some pounds. But yesterday, TV personality and former View co-host Star Jones seemed to be sporting a fuller figure as she arrived at ...

and more »

Program helps woman lose weight, enjoy life - Bloomington Pantagraph

Program helps woman lose weight, enjoy life
Bloomington Pantagraph
Swiskoski credits laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (commonly called lap band) surgery, a healthy eating and exercise plan, successful treatment for depression and the support of her family. "Before surgery, I didn't want to leave the house.

Mexico Weight Loss Surgeon Operates on Winner of “Nashville Star” - PR Urgent (press release)

Mexico Weight Loss Surgeon Operates on Winner of “Nashville Star”
PR Urgent (press release)
The sleeve gastrectomy was part of a revision surgery after Lawson encountered difficulty with her gastric band. Lawson was named the winner of NBC's “Nashville Star” in 2008 during its sixth season. After struggling with obesity most of her life, ...

and more »

Stanford expert weighs in on study comparing gastric bypass and banding - Scope (blog)

Scope (blog)

Stanford expert weighs in on study comparing gastric bypass and banding
Scope (blog)
Gastric bypass surgery appears to provide longer-lasting weight loss than gastric banding, according to findings published earlier this week in Archives of Surgery. As USA Today reported, the study followed more than 400 patients in Switzerland for six ...

and more »

Gastric band success for obese diabetic - The Guardian

The Guardian

Gastric band success for obese diabetic
The Guardian
A morbidly obese diabetic who was given just months to live if he did not control his weight is on course to lose six stone after his health authority paid for a gastric-band operation following a landmark legal case. The news, which will be studied by ...

Dr. Oz Highlights the Benefits of Gastric Bypass Surgery, Even for Patients ... - MarketWatch (press release)

Dr. Oz Highlights the Benefits of Gastric Bypass Surgery, Even for Patients ...
MarketWatch (press release)
The accomplished surgeons at Dr. Feiz & Associates, a leading provider of gastric bypass surgery, gastric sleeve surgery, and the Lap Band in Los Angeles, have maintained a complication rate of less than 1% (significantly lower than the national ...

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For some teens: Gastric band, not punk rock band - American Council on Science and Health

For some teens: Gastric band, not punk rock band
American Council on Science and Health
Allergan, the producer of the commonly used Lap-Band, which is used in the laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding procedure that constricts the stomach and makes the patient feel full on little food, is pressing for permission from the FDA to use its ...


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