Fast changing lifestyles in the past few years have seen an increasing incidence of obesity across age groups throughout the world. More than an aesthetic impact, obesity can be a precursor to many other life-threatening medical conditions. When obesity cannot be controlled through diet or exercise, or the patient has major health complications due to the weight gain that needs immediate attention (like diabetes, sleep apnea, or fatty liver disease), laparoscopic surgery for obesity is a very viable option for treatment. This specific surgery is also referred to as bariatric surgery and works by modifying the digestive system to regulate the amount of calories that get consumed by the body. Bariatric surgery is mainly of four types:
- Gastric bypass: Known as Roux-en-Y, the procedure involves creating a small pouch at the top of the stomach and separating it from the lower part of the stomach with staples. The pouch is then connected directly to the small intestine, bypassing the lower portion of the stomach. The gastric bypass ensures that less food can be consumed by the body and the small intestine has less nutrition to absorb.
- Sleeve gastrectomy, also known as gastric sleeve, is a simple procedure that removes a large portion of the stomach, leaving a tubular, sleeve-like portion behind. The purpose of the procedure is to reduce the number of calories that can be consumed during a meal and to reduce the hunger-inducing hormones produced in the stomach.
- Biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch (BPD/DS): The duodenal switch combines the procedures of gastric bypass and gastric sleeve, but it bypasses almost 70% of the small intestine, making it a more extreme procedure as there is a significant decrease in the amount of nutrition that can be absorbed by the small intestine. This makes it a better option for weight loss and for reversing metabolic disorders like diabetes, but it can have a great impact on the ability of the body to stay healthy without supplements.
- Gastric banding: During the gastric banding procedure, a band is placed around the upper part of the stomach to create a small pouch. However, unlike gastric bypass, the food that is filled in the upper pouch is allowed to slowly progress into the lower part of the stomach and then pass through the intestines. Gastric banding helps to limit the amount of food eaten at one time, as the stomach will feel full quickly.
Is laparoscopic surgery right for you?
While minimally invasive surgical procedures are preferred by patients because of the many benefits they offer, they may not be suitable for all patients. The surgeon will take a decision on whether a patient is fit for laparoscopic or advanced laparoscopic surgery after considering the following factors:
- Complexity of the disease
- Cardiovascular and overall health of the patient
- History of previous abdominal surgeries
- Patient’s preferences and willingness for the surgery
- Availability of laparoscopic expertise to conduct the procedure