Discuss Weight Control Options With Bariatric Surgeons NJ Residents Count On

By Olive Pate


Severe obesity is not a problem that many individuals have the ability to fix easily with exercise and diet alone. Many people in Ridgewood, NJ have failed to lose their excess weight even after trying intense physical activity and restricted diets. For some individuals, the obesity is triggering other health problems that interfere with quality of life. Anyone in this situation can get help from bariatric surgeons NJ residents can count on for healthy weight loss.

Bariatric surgery reconfigures the stomach, the intestines, or both in a way that restricts how much food the individual can consume. Some procedures change the way the body absorbs nutrients and calories. All surgeries are effective in promoting healthy weight loss when accompanied by the right lifestyle choices.

The four most common surgeries are the gastric bypass, the gastric band, the duodenal switch, and the vertical sleeve gastrectomy. The adjustable gastric band fits over the top portion of the stomach to limit its capacity to hold food. Instead of being able to hold approximately three pints, the stomach can only hold about one ounce. The surgeon can adjust the band as needed by injecting saline.

Gastric bypass involves stapling some of the stomach together to create a pouch with a capacity to hold one cup of food. The surgeon separates the stomach from the duodenum and reattaches it to a different place on the small intestine. Bypassing the duodenum restricts calorie absorption.

Duodenal switch surgery is the most involved and is irreversible because portions of the stomach are removed completely to make the food pouch more compact. The risks of developing complications are the highest after this procedure. This surgery requires a more intense reconfiguration of the intestines to allow food to pass through only a short portion of the small intestines before reaching the large intestines. Because this procedure changes how the body absorbs nutrients, patients must begin a lifelong habit of supplementing the diet with essential minerals and vitamins.

A vertical sleeve gastrectomy is similar to the first stage of a duodenal switch procedure. Most of the existing stomach pouch is removed. In addition to restricting food intake, this procedure may cause a reduction in the levels of ghrelin, a hormone that makes people feel hunger. Patients feel full after consuming just a small amount of food.

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.




About the Author: