Severe obesity is a chronic condition that is very difficult to treat. Gastric bypass surgery to promote weight loss by restricting food intake or
interrupting digestive processes is an option for severely obese people.
The concept of gastric surgery to control obesity grew out of results of operations for cancer or severe ulcers that removed large portions of the stomach or small intestine. Because patients undergoing these procedures tended to lose weight after surgery, some physicians began to use such operations to treat severe obesity. The first operation that was widely used for severe obesity was the intestinal bypass. This operation, first used 40 years ago,
produces weight loss by causing malabsorption. The idea was that patients could eat large amounts of food, which would be poorly digested or passed along too fast for the body to absorb many calories. The problem with this surgery was
that it caused a loss of essential nutrients and its side effects were unpredictable and sometimes fatal. The original form of the intestinal bypass
operation is no longer used.
Surgeons now use techniques that produce weight loss primarily by limiting how much the stomach can hold. These restrictive procedures are often combined with modified gastric bypass procedures that somewhat limit calorie and nutrient absorption and may lead to altered food choices. Two ways that surgical procedures promote weight loss are:
"By decreasing food intake (restriction). Gastric banding, gastric bypass, and vertical-banded gastroplasty are surgeries that limit the amount of food the stomach can hold by closing off or removing parts of the stomach. These operations also delay emptying of the stomach(gastric pouch).
"By causing food to be poorly digested and absorbed (malabsorption). In the gastric bypass procedures, a surgeon makes a direct connection from the stomach to a lower segment of the small intestine, bypassing the duodenum, and some of the jejunum.
Although results of operations using these procedures are more predictable and manageable, side effects persist for some patients.
In order to be considered as a candidate for Gastric Bypass Surgery, patients must:
"Have made multiple attempts to lose weight, including structured programs through nationally recognized organizations or physician supervised programs
"Weigh at least 100 pounds over their ideal body weight with a Body Mass Index of >35 with co-morbidities or >40 with no current co-morbidities
"Be motivated to undergo a change in lifestyle and eating habits
"Have the approval of the primary care physician managing the patients medical conditions
"Be willing to work collaboratively with a team of healthcare providers interested in their successful journey to a healthier lifestyle
"Be between 18-55 years old
About The Author
Doug Jones is a contributing author and publisher to
http://www.gastricbypasstalk.com
An online resource that provides you with information, articles of interest, critical information you need to know about gastric bypass , gastric bypass surgery, side effects and more, along with some of the internets top resources