If all classical therapies fail in order to significantly reduce body weight, this surgical method should make weight loss easier for the pathologically overweight and thus, improve the quality of life.
Gastric Bypass Surgery
There are many obesity surgery procedures (e.g. gastric balloon, gastric banding) – each with different advantages and disadvantages. The aim of all of them is to overcome obesity and to continuously relieve physical impairments. In addition, with the help of professional gastric operations, an inner balance of the patient is to be adjusted, which helps to eliminate psychosocial stressors and to create a controlled personal well-being.
The gastro-operative bypass techniques, which we also offer in Turkey, help to reduce the intake of fats and carbohydrates to such an extent that you can permanently minimize your weight. In general, the following types of gastric bypass techniques are differentiated by our Büyük Anadolu Team in Samsun:
- Gastric bypass
- Mini bypass or omega bypass
- Duodenal Switch
- Biliopancreatic Diversion
The gastric bypass method, which is one of the procedures widely practiced in bariatric surgery worldwide, the stomach is divided into two parts, a large and a small part.
The duodenum and part of the small intestine are bypassed and joined with the newly formed smaller stomach. By this way it is expected that the person’s calorie intake gets restricted and absorption of foods decreases.
“So, what is Gastric bypass?” It is one of the procedures with high metabolic activity which is used for resolving issues that come with obesity. As a result of this surgery the patient may keep losing weight for an average of 1.5 years but it is also important to know that this time period varies from patient to patient. Additionally, it is crucial that the patient is followed regularly and takes vitamin supplements.
In order for you to have this surgery, your body mass index must be within a certain limit.
This limit is as follows:
- Patients with Body Mass Index (BMI) 40 or more
- Those with a body mass index between 35-40 and also those with medical problems such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea related to obesity
Gastric By-Pass surgery is performed in 2 stages. In the first step, the stomach is divided into a small and a large part and the food is collected in the small part. With this procedure, the stomach volume is reduced and the patient eats less food and feels satiety in a shorter period of time.
In the second stage, the bridging process is applied. This process involves making some structural changes in the small intestine and shortening the intestines. Thus, the absorption of the nutrients taken is reduced. The food taken first goes to the small sac in the stomach and then to the second part of the intestine. As a result of surgery, a large part of the stomach and also a small part of the intestines are removed from the gastrointestinal tract.
This surgery, which is directly related to obesity, has positive effects on the healing processes of many diseases which are experienced due to being overweight. These effects are as follows:
- Patients experience a noticeable weight loss within 1 year after surgery.
- It is also effective in improvement of some chronic diseases caused by being overweight.
- It also helps to achieve recovery in patients with high cholesterol.
- It is helpful in reducing the need for pharmacological intervention in hypertensive patients.
- Potentiates recovery of patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea due to obesity
- Symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease also improves after this surgery.
- It aids the recovery of type 2 diabetes patients.
- It helps in reducing the pressure on the knees and waist area of the patient with the loss of excess weight and in the healing process of diseases such as osteoarthritis in the knee and foot regions.
- It is also effective in making people who have psychological problems due to their excess weight happier.
Complications that occur with surgery differ as seen in the long and short term.
These are as follows:
- Respiratory tract infection, wound infection, bleeding and leakage risk, incision site hernia and embolism are complications that can be seen in the short term.
- Intestinal obstruction, gallstones, incisional hernia and gastric ulcers are also long-term complications.
It is important not to skip meals and to have a balanced diet after the surgery. Those who lose weight with Gastric By-Pass have reached their goals because they pay attention to these rules. These dietary guidelines are as follows:
- Meals should contain protein, whole-wheat cereal groups, fruit and vegetables. The feeding cycle can also be adjusted as liquid foods for the first 2 weeks and pureed foods between the 3rd, 4th and 5th weeks.
- In order to prevent possible dehydration, care should be taken to consume 1.5-2 liters of fluid per day. Otherwise, severe headache, dizziness, white sores on the tongue, weakness and dark urine may occur.
- Soft foods should be preferred. Foods such as pudding prepared with low-fat milk, soft omelets, cottage cheese, mashed fish, mashed potatoes and cereals soaked in milk can be preferred.
- Sweets, confectionery, granulated sugar and sugar cubes should be avoided.
- Chewing food completely is also among the things to be considered. Food that is swallowed without being thoroughly chewed can block the stomach outlet, causing vomiting, pain and discomfort.
- Protein intake is also important in this process. For this, 3 glasses of skim milk or soy milk can be consumed per day.
- Solid and liquid foods should not be consumed at the same time.
- Fluid consumption should also be timed 30 minutes before or 30 minutes after meals.
