Weight-loss surgeries, as the very name suggests, helps in losing weight. It is better known as bariatric surgery and also helps in reducing many medical problems which are associated with obesity. Primarily, there are two ways in which weight-loss is achieved –
• Restriction – in this method, surgery is done to restrict the amount of food which the stomach can hold at any given time. This restricts the number of calories which the body absorbs
• Malabsorption – in this case, the small intestine is shortened to bypass it which also restricts the amount of nutrients the body absorbs
There are four types of weight-loss surgeries at low cost in India. These are –
Sleeve Gastrectomy
In this kind of surgery, a part of the stomach is separated from the body and removed while the rest of the stomach is formed into a tubular structure. The smaller portion of the stomach cannot store much food and also produces lesser amount of the hormone ghrelin which is responsible for creating the desire to eat. All this together leads to lesser intake of food.
Roux-en-Y gastric bypass
In this kind of gastric surgery, a small pouch is created at the top portion of the stomach which receives food. As a result, the amount of food and liquid which a body can accept at any given time is greatly restricted.
Next, the small intestine is cut and connected to the pouch so created on one end while on the other end, it is connected to the stomach further down. The rest of the stomach continues to work as earlier, creating digestive juices. As the food now bypasses a portion of the small intestine, lesser calories are absorbed.
Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding
In laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, a band containing an inflatable balloon is inserted and fixed in the upper part of the stomach. The results in the creation of small pouch with a very narrow opening to the rest of the stomach.
Under the skin of the abdomen, a port is placed which is connected to the band through a tube. The balloon can be inflated or deflated to adjust the size of the band by the injection or removal of fluid through the port.
Gastric banding restricts the extent to which the stomach can hold food. As a consequence, the patient feels fuller much sooner but, it does not have any effect on the absorption of nutrients from the food that is ingested.
Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch
Just like sleeve gastrectomy, here also the surgeon removes a major portion of the stomach. A valve which releases food into the small intestine along with the first part duodenum is removed. Next, the middle section of the intestine is attached to the last part of the duodenum – a process also known as the duodenal switch.
The removed part of the intestine is reattached to the end of the intestine which allows digestive juices to flow into the intestine which is known as the creation of a biliopancreatic diversion. All these together lead to the bypass of most of the food from the small intestine which leads to the lesser absorption of nutrients and eventual loss of weight.
