Sleeve Gastrectomy
Sleeve gastrectomy, also known as "vertical sleeve" or simply "sleeve," involves removing about two-thirds or up to 80% of the left side of the stomach, leaving a banana-shaped or smaller stomach. This limits the amount of food you can eat at once, helping you feel full faster. It also produces positive changes in hunger-suppressing hormones, reduces appetite, and improves satiety (or the feeling of fullness). Like other bariatric surgeries, sleeve gastrectomy can provide benefits beyond weight loss, such as lower blood pressure and cholesterol, improvement or even resolution of type 2 diabetes, less joint pain, more energy, and better sleep. It can also reduce the risk of other weight-related health issues like cancer, heart disease, and stroke. With sleeve gastrectomy, the smaller stomach and resulting hormonal changes can facilitate rapid and significant weight loss. While every patient is different, many experience long-term success with this type of surgery.
Gastric Bypass
Gastric bypass is a type of weight-loss surgery. The size of the stomach is reduced so that the amount of food that can be consumed is "limited" due to the smaller stomach size. The small intestine is attached directly to this small stomach pouch, so food no longer passes through most of the remaining stomach or part of the small intestine. This changes how the body absorbs calories and nutrients.
Gastric Balloon
The gastric balloon is a non-surgical weight-loss method where a silicone device is placed in the stomach to restrict its food capacity. This procedure offers an alternative for patients who do not wish to or cannot undergo bariatric surgery. Before balloon placement, a complete evaluation is conducted by our medical team to ensure treatment safety. A liquid diet is required the day before the procedure, followed by complete fasting. Nausea and vomiting are common after balloon placement but subside over time. Patients are encouraged to follow medical recommendations to adapt to the gastric balloon.
Committing to better health through bariatric surgery is a big and brave step forward; however, this courage can sometimes waver because, well, it's surgery. It's natural to worry about the unknown and weigh your options when considering such a life-changing procedure.
Although no surgery is entirely risk-free, the safety profile of laparoscopic bariatric surgery is comparable to some of the safest and most commonly performed surgeries in the United States, including gallbladder surgery, appendectomy, and knee replacement. Bariatric surgery has proven to be the most effective and durable treatment for severe obesity, helping patients who have been unable to lose weight through diet and exercise alone.
End Sleep Apnea
Untreated, sleep apnea contributes to high blood pressure, strokes, heart failure, diabetes, obesity, and heart attacks. However, up to 98% of bariatric patients experience reversal of sleep apnea.
Reverse Hypertension
High blood pressure damages arteries and reduces blood flow and oxygen to the heart. Additionally, it can lead to a heart attack, stroke, heart failure, metabolic syndrome, aneurysm, and dementia. Weight-loss surgery, however, has been known to reverse the condition in 63% of individuals, according to the American Heart Association.
Improve Fertility
Studies indicate that in the first year post-surgery, men experience an increase in testosterone, sperm viability, and sperm volume. Women have experienced reversal of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) symptoms, and the average pregnancy rate for previously infertile PCOS patients post-bariatric surgery was 73%.
Live Longer
Studies, including a 2020 report in JAMA, found that patients who underwent weight-loss surgery outlived individuals of similar age, gender, and BMI (initial) who did not undergo surgery. It can reduce all-cause mortality by up to 40% compared to patients who chose not to undergo a weight-loss procedure.
Reverse Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes and obesity exponentially increase your risk of depression, blindness, skin issues, sleep apnea, hearing loss, and other illnesses. However, up to 83% of patients undergoing weight-loss surgery experience disease reversal. Saying goodbye to arthritis: losing weight means less pressure on your joints and decreases pain, stiffness, and swelling. Up to 76% of patients report improved arthritis symptoms and mobility, which can reduce the need for medication.