Weight loss surgery

Most people know bariatric surgery is a weight loss method, but not everyone understands how it works. There are several types of bariatric surgery, but they all aim to decrease your overall food intake and facilitate weight loss. This is accomplished by reducing the size of your stomach or diverting food away from part of the small intestine to decrease the absorption of calories.

Weight loss surgery is not considered an easy fix. In fact, individuals who undergo a bariatric procedure must be committed to certain lifestyle changes following surgery. Our doctors use surgery as a tool to kickstart weight loss. However, it's important to remember surgery requires your dedication to improved long-term eating and exercise practices.

Benefits of bariatric surgery

Undergoing a bariatric procedure can benefit your life in more than one way. It not only acts as a form of rapid weight loss, but can also affect your overall health and emotional well-being. Some benefits can include:

• Decreased risk for heart disease
• Improvement of obesity-related health problems
• Increased fertility during childbearing years
• Minimized joint pain
• Relief from mental health problems associated with body image

Minimally invasive weight loss surgery

Our hospital is equipped with the latest minimally invasive surgical technologies, and some of our bariatric procedures are now performed using an advanced robot-assisted surgical system. This means our surgeons have undergone training to use a special console that maneuvers surgical instruments with increased precision compared to traditional handheld tools. Your surgeon remains in complete control of the console at all times.

Our weight loss surgeons perform multiple types of bariatric surgeries, which allow us to recommend the procedure that best meets your needs.

Bilio-pancreatic diversion with duodenal switch (BPD-DS)

A BPD-DS procedure involves a sleeve gastrectomy, which removes part of the stomach and reroutes the intestines. This procedure is complex, but is proven to be a reliable, long-lasting weight loss solution.

Because the intestines are rerouted when food is consumed after surgery, it will not pass through the upper part of the small intestine. The procedure leaves only a few feet of intestine for digestion, which changes the way food is broken down and decreases calorie absorption.

Typically, surgeons limit this procedure to individuals with very high BMIs or those experiencing health concerns related to obesity-related medical conditions. BPD-DS provides the potential for greater weight loss than sleeve gastrectomy or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

Our bariatric surgeons discuss all benefits and risks associated with this procedure to determine if BPD-DS is the best option for you. The procedure takes about four to five hours to complete and requires a three to four night hospital stay.

Gastric sleeve

Gastric sleeve surgery, or sleeve gastrectomy, is considered a restrictive procedure, which means the surgeon will remove a portion of your stomach, and use staples to reform it into a sleeve shape that resembles a banana. This is a laparoscopic procedure that is completed using a small incision. What remains after surgery is a narrow tube, or sleeve, with a smaller capacity.

Weight loss is facilitated by restricting the amount of calories taken in by reducing your stomach's ability to hold excess quantities of food. Additionally, the majority of an appetite-inducing hormone, called Ghrelin, is removed during the procedure, which is produced primarily in the top of your stomach. This also facilitates your weight loss through appetite reduction.

Sleeve gastrectomy reduces your stomach size by about 85%. For reference, a normal stomach can hold approximately three pints of food. After sleeve gastrectomy, it can only accommodate about 1 to 4 ounces. However, over time the stomach may begin to hold more food.

Following a sleeve gastrectomy, you may opt to have your sleeve gastrectomy turned into a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass for additional weight loss. The procedure takes about one hour to complete and requires an overnight hospital stay.

Revision bariatric surgery

Revision bariatric surgery can be performed if you have previously undergone some form of weight loss surgery, including sleeve gastrectomy, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or gastric banding. Revision surgery may be recommended if you have experienced complications from surgery or have been unable to achieve significant weight loss from their initial procedure.

The type of revision surgery needed will vary depending on the initial bariatric procedure performed. It can help improve or repair a past procedure, or change the type of procedure that was performed. For example, some people may initially receive a gastric sleeve and then undergo revision surgery to convert to a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. These surgeries can often be complex, which is why our experienced surgeons have undergone additional training to perform all types of revision procedures.

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is a laparoscopic procedure that effectively reduces the overall size of your stomach. This is done by stapling the upper portion of the stomach, therefore separating it from the lower portion. Additionally, a part of the small intestine is rerouted. This allows the newly formed gastric pouch to bypass parts of your small intestine during digestion.

Calorie intake will significantly decrease through restricting the size of the stomach. Your body will also absorb fewer calories by avoiding part of the small intestine. Gastric bypass is a proven weight loss procedure that has shown to have a significant impact on improving obesity-related conditions, such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea.

This surgery can lead to vitamin and mineral malabsorption, which is why you may need to take certain supplements following surgery. In total, this procedure takes about three hours to perform and requires a one to two night hospital stay.

You are guided by a team of knowledgeable healthcare providers who understand the importance of encouragement throughout the weight loss journey. We can help you navigate your weight loss plan with help from our:

• Bariatric coordinators
• Bariatric surgeons
• Dieticians
• Specialized nursing staff

If you are scheduled for weight loss surgery, you must undergo an educational process prior to surgery. This ensures you fully understand the journey you are about to take and the changes you will have to make to your lifestyle. To learn more about next steps, call our bariatric coordinator at (951) 788-3432.

To be considered a candidate for weight loss surgery, you may need to meet certain criteria. Bariatric surgery is geared toward individuals who are diagnosed with severe or morbid obesity. Obesity is measured using body mass index (BMI), which is a calculation that compares your height with your weight.

Bariatric surgery may be an option if you:

• Have a BMI between 35 and 39.9, or approximately 75 pounds or more of excess weight paired with obesity-related health concerns
• Have a BMI of 40 or greater, or approximately 100 pounds or more of excess weight