Types of Bariatric Surgery in India
When the body deposits enormous amount of adipose tissue, the condition of obesity arises. It occurs due to intake of much more calorie then utilized. Sometimes even dieting and exercise does not yield desired results. Thankfully, bariatric surgery in India is performed extensively .
It is performed to achieve either/both of two goals-
1. Restriction- The amount of food that stomach can hold is limited by surgery, thus reduce the calorie intake.
2. Mal-absorption- The small intestine is shorten or bypass, to reduce the absorption of nutrients and calories.
Based on these two methods, there are six types of bariatric surgeries, which are as follows:-
It is also known as vertical sleeve gastroctomy (VSG), it is done by taking out a large part of the stomach along the greater curvature. The stomach is reduced up to 15 to 25% of its actual size. This pouch is then stapled and connected to the small intestine, while the rest of the stomach is removed.
Its reduced size make the person feel full stomach sooner after eating. Also, reduction of stomach causes lesser amount of hunger-causing hormone and makes the patient less-hungry.
2. Gastric Bypass
It is also known as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. It is done by creating a small pouch at the top of the stomach. This pouch is the only portion that receives food. This restricts the amount of food one can eat. The small intestine is cut short and connected to this new pouch. The larger part of stomach still produces digestive juices which reaches small intestine. Since the length of intestine reduces through which food pass, the body absorbs lesser nutrients.
3. Adjustable Gastric Band
It is also known as lap band technique, in which a band containing an inflatable balloon is wrapped around the upper part of the stomach. This creates a smaller stomach pouch at the top with a very narrow opening with the rest of the stomach. The size of smaller pouch is controlled by adjusting this band. The amount of nutrients absorbed remains same but the amount of food intake reduces significantly.
4. Duodenal Switch
The larger part of the stomach is removed, leaving a small, banana shaped stomach pouch.
The top of the small intestine is cut and re-routed several inches down. The discarded portion is not removed from the body as it still releases digestive juice. Since the food bypasses major part of small intestine, it limits the amount of calories and nutrients that gets absorbed. Thus, with the help of smaller stomach and lesser absorption, it’s a very effective method.
5. vBlock Therapy
The surgeon implants vBloc devices below the rib cage just beneath the skin. It is attached to the vagal nerve and prevents it from sending hunger signals to the brain, making the person feel full most of the time.
6. Gastric Balloon
Gastric balloon is inserted in the stomach through mouth. Once it is inflated, it occupies most of the stomach and thus leaves less space for food accumulation. Hence, the person feels fuller soon after eating. It is a temporary method and the balloons are removed after 6 months.
Most of these comes under laparoscopic Obesity Surgery. It makes few minimal incisions through which these surgeries are performed. It is scar-less and painless surgery which is preferred by doctors in our present era.