What You Need To Know About Lap-band And Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

By Timothy Brown


Bariatric surgeries are becoming a preferred mode of weight loss all over the world include New York City. The reasons behind this are the increase safety and effectiveness of these procedures. Three main types of weight loss surgeries are performed: gastric banding, gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy. Both similarities and difference exist among these techniques. Lap-band and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy are associated with better outcomes than the bypass procedure.

Weight loss surgical options are usually considered as a last resort. There is a need to try out the non-invasive methods first for a period of not less than 6 months. Cut down on your consumption of highly refined carbohydrates and fats as much as possible. These two food groups contribute to the greatest proportion of weight gain. Regular physical activity helps burn excess calories and prevent unwanted storage in adipose tissues.

To choose between banding and gastrectomy, one has to fully understand the benefits and risks associated with each of them. One of the major similarities is that both of them can be effectively performed using the open technique or laparoscopy. The major difference is that in gastrectomy the stomach has to be cut surgically while no cutting is involved in banding. For this reason banding is reversible while gastrectomy is not.

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 the removal of part of the stomach. Up to 80% can be removed in a single operation reducing the organ to just a small pouch. The new shape is similar to a sleeve (hence the name). Most surgeons prefer the laparoscopic technique over the open method due to the lower risk of complications associated with the former technique. The remaining part is usually stitched using surgical sutures or staples.

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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