Gastric Bypass vs Sleeve
The different types of bariatric surgery offer their own way of promoting weight loss. Two of the most popular options are gastric bypass surgery and gastric sleeve surgery.
Different Surgeries Work in Different Ways
When it comes to weight loss surgeries, there are different ways that they can be performed. In general, there are two different means by which weight loss procedures work:
- Restrictive Weight Loss – Restrictive procedures promote weight loss by changing the stomach’s capacity and not making any additional changes to the to digestive track. Patients cannot eat as much, thus reducing the amount of calories that can be consumed during a single meal.
- Malabsorptive Weight Loss – Malabsorptive procedures change the structure of the digestive tract so that patients cannot absorb as many nutrients after eating. These procedures make it impossible for your body to break down and absorb nutrients in a normal manner, which prompts the body to lose weight.
Some weight loss procedures combine restrictive and malabsorptive techniques to produce the most drastic weight loss. These surgeries are generally performed on the most morbidly obese patients.To make a decision on which of these popular procedures is most suited for you, let’s take a look at each surgery.
About Gastric Sleeve Surgery
Gastric sleeve surgery is a procedure that involves the permanent resizing of the stomach. This is a restrictive weight loss procedure. When the patient's stomach is smaller, he or she feel full sooner than they usually would, which reduced caloric intake and promotes weight loss by that method.
About Gastric Bypass Surgery
Gastric bypass is a combined restrictive and malabsorptive procedure. This procedure involves altering the size of the stomach and also rerouting part of the digestive tract so a portion of the small intestine is bypassed to reduce the absorption of nutrients. This combination that limits food consumption as well as caloric absorption helps many people lose weight. The most common gastric bypass procedure is Roux-en-Y surgery where the stomach is reduced to about the size of an egg, while also resectioning the small intestine and attaching its lower section to the stomach’s outlet.
The Advantages of the Gastric Sleeve Over Gastric Bypass
The gastric sleeve procedure is much more streamlined than the gastric bypass surgery. The surgeon alters the stomach's size through several small laparoscopic incisions. Since the surgery is relatively simple, it's also considered rather low-maintenance and has a generally lower risk. Patients are less likely to experience serious side effects or post-surgical complications.
The Advantages of the Gastric Bypass Over Gastric Sleeve
The gastric bypass procedure helps ensure greater levels of weight loss with a higher degree of success since it combines two mechanisms for reducing caloric intake. Many patients notice better results in the short term and long term when it comes to overall reduction in body mass. It is generally recommended for morbidly obese patients with a BMI of 45 or higher.
Which Weight Loss Surgery Is Right for Me?
While each surgery has technical advantages over the other, what really matters is which surgery is best for your situation. During a consultation, we can go over these surgical options, along with the popular gastric band technique, to determine which bariatric procedure would be best suited to you and your needs.
Schedule a Consultation at Tijuana Bariatric Center
Tijuana Bariatric Center prides itself on giving patients the answers they need to make confident choices for long-term health. By undergoing weight loss surgery, you can address many different health issues associated with obesity and morbid obesity, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea and more.
For more information about gastric bypass surgery, gastric sleeve surgery and which might be the best option for you and your needs, contact our bariatric surgery center today. Email or call us at 800 970-0577.
