Information On Lap-band And Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

By Timothy Brown


Bariatric weight loss surgery is a procedure that has continue to grow steadily in recent times in New York. There are three main types of bariatric surgeries that are performed. These include gastric banding, sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass surgery. While some differences exist among these procedures, the manner in which they work is similar. Lap-band and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy have the best outcomes hence are the most commonly performed.

Surgical options for weight should only come in when all the other methods have been exhausted. The general recommendation is that conservative options should be tried out for at least 6 months. Dietary modification is one of the approaches that have been shown to be quite effective in achieving weight loss. One should strive to reduce their consumption of fats and carbohydrates and increase that of vegetables and fruits. Regular physical exercise also has a role to play.

The decision to undergo either lap band surgery or sleeve gastrectomy is made by the doctor in consultation with the patient. The choice is made after carefully considering the benefits of each of them. Both can be performed through the open technique or through laparoscopy. One of the major differences between the two is the fact that banding is reversible while gastrectomy is a permanent procedure.

When the open technique is to be used to perform banding, a large incision has to be made in the anterior abdominal region. Such will allow the surgeon to visualize the abdominal structures directly and can place the band around the stomach with ease. In the case of laparoscopy, the incisions that are needed are a lot smaller and the doctor has to rely on images projected on to a monitor to perform the procedure.

Gastrectomy is simply the cutting and removal of a segment of a stomach. In a single operation, between 75 and 80% is usually removed. What is left behind is a small pouch that takes the shape of a sleeve (thus the name of the operation). The laparoscopic method is preferred over the open technique. Once the required part has been cut off, the rest is stitched back using sutures or stitches.

There are a number of complications that potential candidates need to be aware of. These include, among others, excessive loss of blood, accidental injury to internal organs and postoperative infections. The loss of stitches or staples used in closure may be seen in very rare circumstances. When it occurs, it leads to leakage of digested foods and acids which may in turn lead to chemical injury of various organs.

When the size of the stomach is reduced, the amount of food that can be consumed by an individual is also reduced. Smaller stomachs tend to fill faster hence the individual will experience early satiety. When 80% of the organ is removed, a significant size or the surface area is also removed meaning that the absorptive capacity is reduced. The end result of all these is steady weight loss whose effects will become evident within weeks and months.

Bariatric operations can be performed in a wide range of patients. However, there are conditions that may make the procedures risky in some of them. Systemic conditions such as hyperthyroidism and uncontrolled diabetes may require that some form of intervention takes place first before the procedure takes place. The same case applies to conditions that are restricted to the gastrointestinal system such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and peptic ulcer disease.




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