Obesity in the U.S. is common and is a serious health issue. It increases the risk of many medical conditions, such as sleep apnea, heart disease and type 2 diabetes and shortens people’s lives. As many as 42% of adults and 19% of children and adolescents in the U.S. are obese.
As we know more about the factors determining our weight, the old theory of eating less and exercising more is outdated. Unfortunately, this overly simple way of thinking combined with shaming others has contributed to the obesity epidemic.
Now we know better. Along with diet and exercise, genetics, hormones, and environmental factors also play a role.
While we can’t change our genetics, we may be able to alter our hormones.
Bariatric surgery, also known as weight loss surgery, can impact your weight loss and improve your overall health and quality of life. You may consider weight loss surgery if you cannot lose weight through diet, exercise and/or medication.
Weight loss surgery is considered the most successful treatment option because it modifies gut hormones that signal hunger, resetting the body’s metabolism.
The surgery interacts with the hormone signals between your gut, brain and the rest of your body. As a result, it can change how hungry you are and how your body absorbs and burns calories.
Research has shown that bariatric surgery can help you lose up to 20 to 40% of total weight and has been shown to:
Once you and your health care provider determine that surgery to lose weight is the best option, you will decide on the correct bariatric surgery procedure.
Many bariatric surgeries are available, but they work in different and distinct ways.
Here is an overview of the main types of weight loss surgery performed in the U.S. Visit each surgical page to learn more about recovery time, expected weight loss, risks and benefits.
Gastric sleeve surgery is the most commonly performed weight loss procedure in the U.S. In this minimally-invasive procedure, a bariatric surgeon removes a part of the stomach. It is a simpler procedure than gastric bypass or the duodenal switch, but it is not reversible.
Gastric bypass, also called Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, is one of the most common types of bariatric surgery. This procedure restricts the amount of food your stomach can hold and changes your gut hormones to help you feel full longer.
Lap-Band, or laparoscopic adjustable gastric band surgery, is a reversible weight loss treatment that helps you to feel full after eating only a small amount of food.
While it was popular in the past, Lap-Band is no longer recommended. Several other weight loss procedures have proven more successful. There are also procedures to revise Lap-Band to a gastric sleeve or gastric bypass.
The biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch goes by many names, such as BPD-DS or “The Switch,” but it is most often referred to as the duodenal switch. The duodenal switch shortens the path food follows through the small intestines.
This procedure is one of the most complex and least performed bariatric surgery. Therefore, a duodenal switch is typically recommended if you are severely obese (BMI of 50 or greater or BMI of 40 or greater with serious type 2 diabetes).
To meet your individual needs, weight loss surgeons may offer a combination of bariatric surgeries. This allows them to combine surgical techniques to give you the best and safest results.
Revisional bariatric surgery is performed to repair or change a previous weight loss surgery. Revision surgery is often more complex than initial bariatric surgeries, but it can help you get back on track with your weight loss goals.
For adolescents with severe obesity, early surgical treatment has been shown to provide many health benefits. A team of specialists will work with you and your child to determine whether weight loss surgery is a good fit.
Bariatric surgery needs a multidisciplinary approach to obesity care. The Banner Health weight loss team offers compassionate, comprehensive and advanced care. Our team is dedicated to providing you with the safest, most successful bariatric patient experience possible.
Surgery is only one part of that care. Equally important is the education, lifelong follow up and support our team provides. Our team partners with you on your bariatric surgery journey to achieve your weight loss goals and improve your quality of life.
Your team will involve a surgeon or surgeons, obesity medicine doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, dietitians, behavioral health specialists, support staff, medical assistants and some specialists in cardiology, pulmonology and sleep medicine. We are all working together with you on your weight loss journey and care.
Watch our free informational video to learn about the different weight loss surgery options we offer as well as eligibility requirements and what you can expect as a patient in the program.
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