Stomach reduction surgery is a last-resort alternative for those who need to lose an excessive amount of weight for a better quality of life or health reasons. Though it has been known to give great benefits, there are many things that need to be known and considered before opting for stomach-reduction surgery.
Identification
Stomach-reduction surgery or gastric bypass surgery is a major invasive surgery involving stapling or banding the stomach, so a smaller pouch-like stomach forms at the top of your stomach. A small part of your small intestine is surgically sewn into the pouch, bypassing the larger part of your stomach. This type of surgery helps severely obese men and women lose sometimes hundreds of pounds by limiting the amount of food the person is able to eat, drastically reducing their caloric intake. The process of banding the stomach is commonly known as the lap-ban system. The requirements for being a candidate for bariatric surgery are not set by weight alone.
According to the American Society of Bariatric Surgery, the person must be considered morbidly obese and be able to show that they have made several attempts to change their situation through dieting, but have failed. A morbidly obese person, as set forth by the ASBS, is someone with a body-mass index, the comparison of an individual's weight and height, of 40 or greater. The individual must also agree to conform to a total lifestyle change, including diet and exercise, to be considered for the surgery.
Benefits
For most people who have undergone gastric-bypass surgery, they are normally told that they can expect to lose at least 50 to 60 percent of their excess weight. However, beside this obvious benefit, others are directly affected by obesity. Gastric bypass surgery can dramatically reduce the onset or threat of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, high cholesterol, and gastroesophageal reflux disease, GERD. These conditions are serious and sometimes can even be life threatening, so the reduction of the symptoms and risks are great benefits.
Risks
With any major surgery, many mild to severe risks are associated with a stomach reduction. The risk of death is the most obvious of the risks due to general human error when performing the surgery. The Mayo Clinic claims that these deaths occur once in roughly every 2,300 surgeries, though this varies somewhat. There is also a risk of blood clots, leaking, pneumonia or hernia of the incision. Other less common risks include something called dumping syndrome. This is a condition in which the leftover material in the non-banded part of your stomach moves too quickly into your intestines, while your makeshift stomach is also moving product there, resulting in nausea and vomiting.
Time Frame
Weight loss for those that choose stomach reduction surgery is immediate and in great quantity. The stomach reduced to the size of a small apple allows for a drastically smaller caloric intake and, consequently, weight is lost at a rapid rate. For this reason, stomach-reduction surgery is commonly chosen among the obese. Generally, by three to six months, assuming there are no complications, a significant amount of weight loss will be visible. One to two years is generally the maximum amount of time needed for individuals to reach their desired weight.
Immediate Effects
Though the purpose of a stomach reduction surgery is to lose weight, a drastic weight loss can produce other side effects in the body. These include fatigue or weakness, body aches, dry skin, mood changes, feeling cold and loss of hair. These immediate effects should take place before the three- to six-month mark, and they are normal considering the amount of weight that will be lost. Once your body adjusts better to the new size of your stomach, these conditions should improve.
