Weight Loss: Weight Loss Surgeries, Types, Benefits & Comparison

Waqar Ahmad November 17, 2021

0 12 6 minutes read

Being obese is no flex these days or was it ever? Never, right?’ So for decades, people have been struggling to lose weight sometimes by doing exercises and eating a strict calorie-deficient diet. But it hardly helps those who have uncontrollable obesity and weight loss is just a dream for them.

If you are also one of those struggling beings, then here’s your cue to finally give a try to weight loss surgeries. These include gastric bypass, adjustable gastric bands, and sleeve gastrectomy.

All of these have some benefits and drawbacks but again these aren’t just quick fixes for losing weight.

You must still be extra cautious about your diet and postmortem prominent results.

With a plethora of options available besides these three it can prove to be quite overwhelming, so consulting with a surgeon beforehand is essential. Your doctor can guide you better, on which surgery will suit you best considering your health.

Weight loss surgeries are usually performed when BMI is more than 40 and if greater than 35, there are accompanying conditions like cardiovascular diseases.

In this guide, we will discuss in detail weight loss surgeries and compare which one is best and the potential benefits.

Table of Contents

What Is A Weight Loss Surgery?

What is it? What does it target? Does it help with anything else besides weight? Yes, it helps to lose weight and reduces risks of accompanying medical conditions associated with obesity like high cholesterol, heart diseases, and stroke.

It’s also called ‘Bariatric surgery’ and specifically targets stubborn body fat.

Bariatric surgeries are preferred only if you cannot reduce fat via nonsurgical methods like diet and exercise.

Weight loss surgery helps in reducing weight in multiple ways, including:

Restriction: The surgeries involve reducing the amount of food a person’s stomach can hold and even slowing down digestion, resultantly less food will be ingested and ultimately the calorie intake is reduced.

Malabsorption: These procedures reduce the size of the small intestine or maybe change its structure which ultimately reduces the amount of nutrients and calories the body can ingest.

Combined Approach (Restrictive & Malabsorptive): These procedures together cause malabsorption and reduce food intake.

Controlling Hunger Hormones: Hunger hormones are produced in the stomach and send signals via the hypothalamus to the brain. Its production is restricted so that food intake can be reduced.

Bariatric surgeries can improve metabolism as well as heart health, additionally, it has a better approach to handling obesity and diabetes than any nonsurgical approach.

Types of Weight Loss Surgeries

Several types of bariatric surgeries should be considered as per the person’s suitability. Every procedure comes with stellar benefits but there are some drawbacks as well that you should keep an eye on.

Gastric Bypass

Gastric bypass or Roux-en-Y is a combined surgery that involves shortening the size of the stomach and reducing the food absorption rate.

How Is It Done?

In this procedure, the upper portion of the stomach is cut and an egg-sized pouch is made. The small intestine is also cut and its lower part is attached to the stomach pouch.

In this way, food will pass to the lower portion of the intestines and won’t get anywhere to properly digest food leading to less calorie absorption ultimately causing weight loss.

Pros & Cons

Pros

It keeps you satiated for a long by feeling fulfilled.
This procedure has proved to cause quick and effective weight loss.
It has shown improvement in treating type 2 diabetes and GERD.

Cons

It might be more complicated than other weight loss surgeries.
If you are limiting daily calorie intake, then to maintain your body strength you have to follow a strict diet and consume vitamins and supplements regularly.
Some people have complained about feeling nausea and tiredness because of gastric emptying right after eating meals.
You might get the risk of getting anemia, nutritional deficiencies, and osteoporosis.

Adjustable Gastric Band

It’s another type of restrictive method to cause weight loss but is comparatively less invasive, adjustable, and can be reversed.

How Is It Done?

In this procedure, inflatable silicon bands are placed above the stomach which creates a pouch on the top of the band. The feeling of satiation will depend upon the opening between the pouch and the stomach. It can also be adjusted by injecting fluid via an access port beneath the dermis.

Pros & Cons

Pros

There’s no cutting involved in the gastrointestinal tract and is an outpatient procedure.
Patients can recover pretty quickly.
The band can be easily adjusted and removed in need and has less risk of getting preyed to complications and nutritional deficiencies

Cons

It doesn’t cause as much weight loss as other procedures, the implant will stay within the body.
It has no effect in controlling diabetes which is directly related to weight.
The reoperation rate is high, and worst the bars might slip and cause emotion in the stomach.

Sleeve Gastrectomy

It’s an invasive weight loss procedure, which is also called a ‘sleeve.’

How Is It Done?

In this procedure, almost 80% stomach is removed, which leaves behind a banana-shaped section that your surgeon with close together using staples.

The section of the stomach that will be removed will produce ghrelin, a hunger hormone that influences metabolism and appetite and controls blood sugar levels.

Pros & Cons

Pros

It’s a comparatively safe and straightforward procedure requiring not much post-care.
It’s especially beneficial for people at risk of chronic medical conditions like cardiac diseases or diabetes.
It usually builds the foundation for many other procedures.

Cons

It’s not reversible may cause heartburn, and is not as effective as gastric bypass to control metabolism.
There’s a greater risk of getting blood clotting, infection, and internal bleeding due to this procedure.

Why Choose Weight Loss Surgeries?

Weight loss surgeries help with obesity that linked to many chronic diseases that become life-threatening if left untreated.

The risk factors usually alleviate after bariatric surgeries preventing you from developing following chronic ailments.

Weight loss surgeries treat hypertension which has a detrimental effect on blood vessels and increases heart attack and stroke.
They also lower cholesterol levels and the chances of acquiring strong cardiac problems.
Obesity causes metabolic syndromes that ultimately cause kidney disorders and worse failure.
Weight loss surgeries also prevent obstructive sleep apnea that restricts oxygen flow to vital organs and endangers the heart.
Fat accumulation causes insulin resistance and increases the risk of type 2 diabetes by 20% more at any BMI point.
Bariatric surgeries have the potential to prevent cancer or even death through cancer by 50%.

Comparing Weight Loss Surgeries: Which One Is Better?

There is no ideal weight loss surgery though, because it entirely depends upon your body type and health.

Like if you are obese and your BMI exceeds 35 or 40 then you need to gastric bypass. But if you got BMI less than this you can go for adjustable gastric banding. Sleeve Gastrectomy is also helpful but each surgery comes with its pros and cons.

Make sure you have consulted with a doctor beforehand about potential benefits and threats.

If you get your weight loss surgery done by an expert, then there are fewer chances of acquiring complications afterward.

Bottom-line

In conclusion, weight loss is a long tiring journey with minimal outcomes until you become consistent enough to fight it off. If you have failed to lose weight via nonsurgical methods, then bariatric surgeries into the picture.

However, to get any surgery you might need to qualify for a certain BMI. It’s only for those whose BMI is 35 or greater with life-threatening conditions like cardiac diseases.

Surgery Is no joke and has its risks and drawbacks which you might face. So you should consult with your doctor and decide on the appropriate one.

Give it a thorough read to understand better how to lose weight via surgical methods. What’s your BMI? Are you healthy or GOD forbid on the way to obesity?

FAQs on Weight Loss

Is weight loss surgery worth it?

Yes, bariatric surgeries are safe and have a long-lasting impact on losing weight. Although I believe there’s no replacement for diet and exercise if it doesn’t work then these surgeries will surely treat obesity.

Can weight loss surgery fail?

These surgeries might be effective in losing weight, but 1 in 10 patients face failure. Almost 15% of gastric bypass fails because insufficient weight is reduced and patients ingest high-fat junk food afterwards.

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