Open vs. Laparoscopic Surgery
Although “open” surgery is still an option; virtually all surgical procedures performed at the St. Elizabeth Weight Management Center are done laparoscopically. This is because laparoscopic surgery:
- offers better wound healing with more cosmetically appealing results (open surgery wound infection and hernia rates are as high as 30 percent)
- is less painful and allows for an earlier return to usual activity
- gives the surgeon a better view of abdominal anatomy
- requires a shorter hospital stay (open surgery requires a large abdominal incision, which can increase the length of the hospital stay)
Procedures Offered at the St. Elizabeth Weight Management Center
Sleeve Gastrectomy
A sleeve gastrectomy is a restrictive (decreases food intake by making the stomach smaller) surgical weight loss procedure that limits the amount of food you can eat and helps you feel full sooner. In this procedure, a thin, vertical sleeve (about the size of a banana) of stomach is created and the rest of the stomach is stapled shut and removed. The smaller stomach size ensures smaller amounts of food can be eaten at one time and makes you feel full longer. Sleeve Gastrectomy can cause an average loss of 55% of excess weight.
Benefits:
- Limits the amount of food that can be eaten and reduces the desire to eat, leading to weight loss
- Allows for normal digestion/absorption
- Results in resolution of or improvement in diabetes, high sholesterol and sleep apnea
Risks:
In addition to the general risks that accompany all surgeries, this procedure may potentially cause leaks along the staple line.
Gastric Bypass
Gastric Bypass is both a restrictive (decreases food intake by making the stomach smaller) and malabsorptive (decreases the amount of nutrition the body is able to absorb from the intestinal tract) surgery technique. A small stomach pouch is created and the remainder of the stomach is completely stapled shut but is not removed. The surgeon then attaches a section of the small intestine to the pouch. The small pouch causes you to feel full sooner and the bypass portion of the small intestine means you absorb fewer calories and nutrients, thereby losing weight. Gastric bypass surgery can cause an average loss of 61% of excess weight.
Click here to watch a CBS "60 Minutes" segment, "The Bypass Effect On Diabetes, Cancer" about gastric bypass operations.
Benefits:
- Limits the amount of food that can be eaten and reduces the desire to eat, leading to rapid weight loss
- Excess weight loss is generally greater than with the Gastric Band or Sleeve Gastrectomy
- Resolves diabetes, high cholesterol and sleep apnea in a large percentage of patients
- Many patients exhibit >90% reduction of serious health problems
Risks:
In addition to the general risks that accompany all surgeries, this procedure may:
- Lead to an increased risk for nutritional deficiencies related to the malabsorptive component of surgery
- Potentially cause leaks along staple line
- Dumping Syndrome (intense feeling of being ill because of simple sugars or fat)
- Certain parts of the digestive system can no longer be easily visualized with common medical tests
Adjustable Gastric Banding
Gastric Banding is a restrictive (decreases food intake by making the stomach smaller) procedure. The band is placed around the uppermost portion of the stomach creating a small upper pouch and a lower stomach. The upper pouch can only hold a small amount of food. This causes you to eat less, feel full longer, and lose weight. Saline is instilled into the band via a ‘port’ inserted into the abdominal cavity. Return visits to your physician for band fills essentially tighten the band, and restricts intake of food. The band is placed under general anesthesia using a laparoscopic procedure (tiny incisions, using a scope, resulting in less scarring, pain, and shorter hospital stay). Gastric banding surgery can cause an average loss of 47% of excess weight.
Benefits:
- Limits the amount of food that can be eaten leading to weight loss
- No removal of organs, no sutures/staples of organs
- Reversible
- Shown to help resolve other chronic conditions such as Diabetes, High Cholesterol, and Sleep apnea
Risks:
In addition to the general risks that accompany all surgeries, this procedure may also lead to band migration (slip), erosion or obstruction.