Procedures

How Weight Loss Surgery Works

Bariatric surgery is the clinical term for several different procedures. The procedures use one or both of two approaches to help patients lose weight and improve or resolve co-morbid conditions:

• Restrictive Procedures - During these procedures, the surgeon creates a small stomach pouch that limits the amount of food patients can eat. The smaller stomach pouch fills quickly, which helps patients feel satisfied with less food.
  
• Malabsorptive Procedures - During these procedures, the surgeon reroutes the small intestine so that food skips a portion of it. The small intestine absorbs calories and nutrients from food, and avoiding part of it means that some calories and nutrients are not absorbed.

Types of Procedures (Gastric Bypass, Gastric Banding, Sleeve Gastrectomy)

• Gastric Bypass - Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery uses a combination of restriction and malabsorption. During the procedure, the surgeon creates a smaller stomach pouch. The surgeon then attaches a Y-shaped section of the small intestine directly to the pouch. This allows food to bypass a portion of the small intestine, which absorbs calories and nutrients. Having the smaller stomach pouch causes patients to feel fuller sooner and eat less food; bypassing a portion of the small intestine means the patient's body absorbs fewer calories.

Please CLICK HERE for Gastric Bypass animation. 

• Gastric Banding - Gastric banding is a restrictive surgical procedure. During this procedure, two medical devices are implanted in the patient: a silicone band and an injection port. The silicone band is placed around the upper part of the stomach and molds the stomach into two connected chambers. The injection port is attached to the abdominal wall, underneath the skin. The port is connected to the band with soft, thin tubing.

The band is adjustable. Adjustments are made by your healthcare professional using a needle to inject saline solution into your band through the port. Adding saline increases the amount of restriction provided by the band, helping patients feel fuller sooner and with less food.

Please CLICK HERE for Gastric Banding animation.

• Sleeve Gastrectomy - Sleeve gastrectomy is a restrictive bariatric surgery. During this procedure, the surgeon creates a small, sleeve-shaped stomach which allows patients to feel fuller quicker. It is larger than the stomach pouch created during Roux-en-Y bypass-and is about the size of a banana.

CLICK HERE for Sleeve Gastrectomy animation.