Weight loss can be a long journey, especially so if you have a body type that finds it difficult to shed those extra pounds. If you’re finding it incredibly hard to lose weight, despite various diets and an exercise regime, then there is another option for you.
Bariatric surgery refers to a specialized set of surgical procedures that are designed to help you quickly lose weight. At NJ Advanced Surgical Solutions, our experienced doctors offer two different types of bariatric surgery that may be helpful to you.
The two treatments we offer are – Gastric sleeve surgery and Gastric bypass surgery.
What is gastric sleeve surgery?
In gastric sleeve surgery, our surgeon at NJ Advanced Surgical Solutions will use laparoscopic surgical procedures to remove a portion of your stomach. Here, a section of your stomach is cut, and your stomach is re-stitched. This forms a narrow tube/sleeve-like stomach.
What is gastric bypass surgery?
In gastric bypass surgery, our surgeon will attach a small pouch to your intestine to completely bypass your stomach. Instead of the food going through your stomach and then to your intestine, now the food you eat will directly move into the intestine, where the nutrients needed are absorbed, and the rest is discarded.
What are the similarities between both procedures?
The objective of both these procedures is to reduce the size of your stomach. Both techniques ultimately help you curtail how much hunger you feel and how much quantity you eat. Additionally, because you feel fuller faster, the amount of ghrelin (hunger hormone) produced also reduces.
How do the two procedures differ from one another?
The procedure technique aside, the two surgeries are different in terms of the results they offer. Patients who have undergone gastric sleeve surgery have a very low rate of experiencing dumping syndrome. This is a series of symptoms, such as stomach cramps and diarrhea that occur for a few days after the surgery. The rate of dumping syndrome is slightly higher in patients who have undergone gastric bypass surgery.
This typically occurs because your body has undergone a dramatic change. It needs some time to get used to the way your new digestive system works. Our team at NJ Advanced Surgical Solutions will provide you with a detailed recovery guide that you can follow to feel better and be back to your routine in no time.
Secondly, while gastric sleeve surgery helps patients lose anywhere between 60%-70% of extra weight, the gastric bypass reduces 60%-80% of the weight.
Which one should you choose?
The surgery you should undergo depends on your medical condition. Both surgeries can help reduce the symptoms of –
- Sleep apnea
- Diabetes
- Cardiovascular conditions
- Bone strength related conditions
- Fatty liver disease
Plus, over time, they can both boost your self-confidence tremendously.
However, gastric bypass is generally recommended only to people with severe obesity and who have a BMI over 45. If your BMI is lower than 45, then the gastric sleeve may be better for you.
Once you visit us at NJ Advanced Surgical Solutions for a check-up, we will be able to recommend which procedure is better for you. Both the surgeries have a recovery time of 2-4 weeks.