Many severely obese individuals living in Ridgewood, NJ have tried everything they know possible to lose the extra weight. When even the most restricted diet and strenuous exercise fail to produce the desired results, many people start to consider bariatric surgery as an option. This is especially true if the obesity is causing medical complications. Anyone who wants to discuss this option with a professional can find
bariatric surgeons NJ residents rely on for help.
After undergoing bariatric surgery, patients are committed to a lifetime of changes associated with the way they consume food. Many of the procedures are irreversible and they alter the digestive process. Surgeons achieve this by reconfiguring how the small intestine and stomach interact with each other. Patients are able to consume smaller amounts of food and still feel full.
Gastric band surgery is the least complicated and alters stomach configuration without removing any of it. An adjustable band is clamped around the stomach in a way that reduces the food pouch to a capacity of one ounce. This is considerably less than three pints, which is a stomach's capacity before the procedure.
A gastric bypass is slightly more invasive than the gastric band insertion. In this procedure, the surgeon makes the patient's stomach smaller by stapling the tissue together. This surgery requires a second step. The surgeon reroutes the stomach to empty into the intestine beyond the duodenum. After this surgery, the body absorbs fewer nutrients and calories.
Duodenal switch surgery is more complicated. A portion of the patient's stomach is removed leaving a cylinder between the small intestine and the esophagus. The surgeon cuts only a portion of the duodenum. The surgeon reroutes the small intestine allowing food to pass through only a small portion of it for digestion. This type of surgery results in the most weight loss but it also carries the highest risk of complications. People who undergo this procedure must follow a lifelong regimen of taking mineral and vitamin supplements.
Vertical sleeve gastrectomy is another procedure involving removing stomach tissue. The thin sleeve that remains connects the esophagus to the beginning portion of the small intestines. Patients are unable to eat as much after surgery and have lower levels of ghrelin, the hormone that triggers appetite.
After the surgery, patients must have regular medical follow-up, sometimes for the rest of their lives. They have to adjust to eating smaller meals forever because the results are permanent. The more involved surgery options are irreversible. Patients who fail to follow through with regular exercise and eating healthy foods are at risk of gaining weight even after surgery.
Health will start to improve almost immediately in many patients, especially those with illnesses directly caused by obesity. Other improvements will show up over time as long as the patient continues to eat healthy foods and exercise on a regular basis. All patients will lower their risk of developing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and other illnesses.
