Surgical Methods Of Obesity Treatment

When traditional methods of weight loss do not help overweight people, surgical treatment of obesity is used as the last hope.

When traditional methods of weight loss do not help overweight people, surgical treatment of obesity is used as the last hope.

Surgical methods of obesity treatment

There are several types of surgical treatment of obesity that contribute to weight loss:

• Installing a gastric band
• Installation of an intragastric balloon
• Gastric bypass

Installation of an intragastric balloon

The history of the method . Danish scientists have proposed an alternative way to lose weight by installing a rubber balloon in the stomach. Scientists studied the formation of stones in the stomach and found that in the presence of large stones (bezoars) the patient does not eat much, therefore he does not gain weight, but on the contrary, he loses weight.

The essence of the method . The balloon is placed in the stomach, then filled with saline solution. The balloon reduces the capacity of the stomach, because the patient begins to eat less food. The balloon causes a feeling of satiety and fullness of the stomach, so the patient eats less food and loses weight due to this.

During one meal, the patient eats no more than 100-150 ml of food, after which there is a long-lasting feeling of satiety.

How a modern intragastric balloon is arranged. The balloon is made of dense medical silicone, the surface of which is perfectly even and smooth, in the shape of a sphere. Thanks to its shape and the material from which it is made, the balloon easily adapts to the patient's stomach.

Installation of an intragastric balloon. The method of installing the balloon in the stomach is similar to gastroscopy: under the control of the endoscope, the balloon is installed in the stomach. Then the balloon is filled with a physiological solution in a volume of 400-700 ml.

Weight loss with the help of an intragastric balloon. The main advantage of this method is that you do not need to follow a special diet and limit yourself in products. On average, the intragastric balloon stays in the patient's stomach for 3-6 months. During this period, the habit of eating less food is formed, while the patient eats the usual foods. It is not recommended to consume high-calorie and sweet foods in large quantities. In the first month, patients lose weight by 5-10 kg, in 3-4 months, patients lose weight by 20-35 kg. After 3-6 months, the balloon is removed, after which you need to limit the consumption of fatty and sweet foods.

Installing a gastric band

The essence of the method. The essence of bandaging is to significantly reduce the volume of the stomach, as a result of which a person eats less food. A special silicone bandage (ring) is applied to the upper part of the stomach, just below the esophagus.

Conventionally, the stomach is divided into two parts and looks like an hourglass. The volume of the upper part of the stomach, the one above the bandage, is no more than 15-20 ml, that is, one tablespoon. Food that has entered the upper part of the stomach fills a small part of the stomach and causes a quick feeling of satiety. Gradually, food moves from the upper part of the stomach to the lower part, where it is digested naturally.

Eating a small amount of food, the patient is quickly satiated, the number of calories consumed decreases, and the person begins to lose weight sharply.

Structural bandage. The bandage is a retainer made of medical silicone with a width of 13 mm. The fastener, 11 cm long when fastened, is a ring that is placed on the stomach. A flexible tube 50 cm long is attached to the fixator, and a cuff is placed over the fixator, which can be inflated.

The advantage of bandaging is the ability to adjust the diameter of the ring at any time after the operation. The cuff can inflate and deflate by adding or removing fluid from the ring. For this, a "port" is placed on the abdomen under the skin, which is connected to the ring (fixture) by a thin tube. Adding and removing fluid is done by inserting a fine needle into the port, which takes less than a minute. The "port" is not visible on the patient's body, the port can be felt with the skill of a doctor.

Bandage installation. The bandage is placed around the stomach endoscopically, through cosmetic punctures.

After installing the bandage. After gastric banding, it is necessary to follow a special diet: separate the intake of solid food and liquid, that is, you should not drink and eat at the same time. Some foods may be poorly tolerated by patients, such as hard foods, fruits and vegetables with skin.

Losing weight after installing a bandage. The band can be around the stomach for several years. 3 months after the installation of the bandage, the patient loses 20% of excess body weight. Within 5 years, 65% of excess body weight is lost.

Gastric bypass

The essence of the method. Through the incision, the patient's stomach is divided into two sections - small and large. Food enters the small stomach, the size of which is 20-50 ml. A loop of the small intestine is sewn to the small stomach (absorption of nutrients takes place inside the small intestine), so food is sent along a short path.

Weight loss after shunting. After bypass surgery, a person eats no more than 20 ml of food, in turn, the food will pass most of the stomach and small intestine. By reducing the absorption of nutrients and the number of calories consumed, the patient's weight decreases.

Gastric bypass contributes to long-term weight loss and weight maintenance until the end of life.