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Which Weight-Loss Surgery Is Best?

Deciding to have weight-loss surgery is not an easy thing to do, especially when you also have to choose between different procedures – each with a possibility of side effects and potential weight loss. 

This begs the question of which one is the best weight-loss surgery? 

In this article, we will look at what research studies found about gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy procedures in terms of their effectiveness on weight loss. But to give you a better understanding, let’s start by looking at the definitions of the two procedures. 

ALSO READ: Gastric Sleeve – 10 Common Questions You need to Know

 

What is gastric bypass?

Gastric bypass surgery is an invasive surgical procedure that involves dividing the stomach into a small upper pouch and a larger lower pouch. The basic idea of this surgery is to shrink the size of your stomach so that you don’t eat as much food as you used to. Simply put, part of your digestive system will be bypassed so that you don’t consume as much food. 

There are two common types of gastric bypass surgery, and these are: 

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is the most common type. This type of gastric bypass surgery requires surgeons to make a small incision, and this means that it has a quicker recovery period. 

When performing this surgery type, your doctor is going to make a small pouch by vertical banding or stapling part of the stomach together. This restricts excess eating. 

The surgeon will then attach a Y-shaped part of the small intestine to the pouch. This makes the food to skip part of your digestive system, and as a result, you begin to lose weight as you consume less calories and food. 

Extensive gastric bypass is the less common type because probably because it is more complicated. Your surgeon will remove the lower part of your stomach and the remaining small pouch is connected directly to the last section of the small intestine, and this bypasses the first two parts completely. This type is effective for weight loss, but it’s not the most preferred type because it is very complicated and can leave a patient short on nutrients. 

With that said, we have compiled a list of reasons why you should have gastric bypass surgery: 

  • Gastric bypass operation can help patients lose a tremendous amount of weight. By so doing, the surgery reduces the death caused by obesity by 40%.
  • In most cases, people who are obese have an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. So, if the gastric bypass operation manages to help one lose weight, then it means it would have reduced type 2 diabetes.
  • At times, bypass surgery is done to reduce the risk of high blood cholesterol and triglycerides.
  • The bypass surgery also resolves common complications such as disrupted sleep and obstructive sleep apnea.
  • Gastric bypass surgery can also help relieve Gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD).
  • The bypass surgery helps lower joint pain, back pain and knee damage that can be caused by excess body weight.
  • The surgery reduces the risk of a disease called venous thromboembolic.

What is a gastric sleeve?

Gastric sleeve or Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy is a surgical procedure that removes 75–80% of the stomach and leaves a banana-sized or sleeve portion of the stomach. After this surgery you will feel full a lot quicker than you did before and this will help you shed a lot of weight. 

This weight loss surgery is recommended for people who have a body mass index (BMI) of at least 40. Even after having this surgery, you’re recommended to do some exercises and dieting so that the surgery becomes more effective. 

The Benefits of Gastric Sleeve Surgery include the following: 

Gastric Sleeve Surgery brings profound changes to life!

  • Overall improved quality of life
  • Excess weight loss of about 60-70% within one year of surgery
  • Remission or improvement of obesity related health conditions such as diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, sleep apnea, fatty liver disease, joint pain, and hyperlipidemia
  • Desire to eat decreases
  • Reduction in hunger sensation

Which surgery is the best for weight loss 

The study found that gastric bypass surgery boasted the greatest weight loss -- both short- and long-term. But that procedure also had the highest rates of complications in the month following surgery.

The study found that gastric bypass appeared to be most effective for weight loss:

  • Gastric bypass surgery resulted in an average 31 percent loss of total body weight in the first year and 25 percent of total body weight after five years.
  • Sleeve gastrectomy led to a 25 percent loss in total body weight in the first year and 19 percent loss of total body weight after five years.

The complications measured in the study included death, reoperation/repair procedures, clots, or failure to be discharged from the hospital within 30 days.

These findings were originally published Oct. 30, 2018 in the WebMD.

This content is edited by Flymedi Medical Editors in February 2021

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