Bariatric Surgery

Bariatric surgery is a type of weight loss surgery that helps people to achieve significant and long-term weight loss by making changes to the digestive system. It is most commonly used to treat people who are severely obese and have been unable to lose weight through diet and exercise alone. The most common bariatric surgery procedures are gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, and adjustable gastric banding. Gastric bypass surgery is the most commonly performed bariatric procedure. It involves creating a small pouch at the top of the stomach and re-routing the digestive system so that it bypasses the lower portion of the stomach. This reduces the amount of food the patient can consume and limits the absorption of calories. Sleeve gastrectomy is a restrictive procedure that reduces the size of the stomach, making it smaller and limiting the amount of food that can be consumed. It also reduces hunger hormones, which can help to reduce appetite and food cravings. Adjustable gastric banding is a reversible procedure that involves placing an adjustable band around the upper portion of the stomach to create a small pouch. This limits the amount of food that can be eaten, and helps to reduce hunger hormones.