What is Bariatic Surgery?
Bariatric surgery is a procedure used to change the anatomy of the digestive system, limiting the amount of food you eat and ultimately resulting in weight loss. In addition, the surgery can assist in minimizing the risk of developing various conditions associated with obesity. The most common type of bariatric surgery in the United States is gastric bypass surgery, but this surgery is often accompanied by side effects and risks. It is important to know how this surgery may affect you in the long run before making the decision to have it done.
Qualifications
Before you can be considered a candidate for bariatric surgery, there are specific qualifications you need to meet. First you must have a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or greater, accompanied with an obesity-related condition such as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes or arthritis. The only exception to this is having a BMI of 40 or more. In this case, no other condition is needed to be a candidate for the surgery--you simply need to be willing to make a lifestyle change and commit yourself to long-term follow-up care.
The Bypass
During the surgery, the doctor creates a pouch the size of a walnut at the top of your stomach by stapling a line across this area, thereby sealing it off from the rest of your stomach. Because it is physically separated from the rest of your stomach, this pouch is only capable of holding one ounce of food. The doctor will then cut the small intestine and connect part of it directly to the new pouch, thereby allowing the food to be redirected past the closed section of the stomach and the first part of the intestine. This process ultimately limits the small intestine's ability to absorb calories.
Aftercare
Once surgery is completed, you will not be allowed to eat anything for one to three days, allowing the stomach time to heal. For the next 12 weeks, you will follow a strict, progressive diet that slowly allows certain foods back into your system. You will start with liquids only, moving on to pureed foods, then to soft foods, and finally onto solids. Due to the reduced size of your stomach, you will need to eat significantly smaller meals throughout the day. For the first six months following your surgery, eating too much or too fast can result in vomiting or severe pain below your breastbone. Eventually you can increase the amount of food you eat, but you will never be able to return to your previous eating habits again.
Possible Side Effects
Due to your rapid weight loss, it is quite possible to experience some physical and behavioral changes within the first three to six months after having the surgery. These changes can include body aches, feeling cold, a thinning or loss of hair, mood changes and fatigue (as though you had the flu).
Benefits
One of the greatest benefits of bariatric surgery is losing 50 to 60 percent of your excess weight within the first two years of having the surgery completed. Many recipients are able to keep this weight off if they hew closely to the recommended diet and exercise plans their doctors gives them. In addition to weight loss, the surgery may also significantly improve, or completely resolve, various health conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea, GERD, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol.
Risks
As with any surgery, there are risks involved. With bariatric surgery, about one out of every 200 or 300 surgeries results in death. This risk depends on the patient's age, any other medical conditions he may suffer from, and his overall general health. A leaking staple line is another risk of bariatric surgery. This is considered to be a severe problem that requires the use of antibiotics to treat. If serious enough, it may require emergency surgery to repair.
