Obesity is a health problem that can affect patients of any age, and it increases the risk of suffering diseases related to weight gain.
To combat this disease there are a number of interventions that you can consider as an option. As time goes by, weight loss procedures have been evolving, allowing the existence of surgical and nonsurgical alternatives within your reach.
Keep reading to understand the differences between traditional weight loss surgeries and gastric bypass. We will cover success rates, benefits, risks, advantages and disadvantages to differentiate them, and will explain some factors that are crucial at the moment of deciding which procedure is best for you.
Difference between bariatric sleeve and bariatric bypass
As of now, gastric sleeve and gastric bypass can be considered the most known surgical interventions, although each procedure is different.
The gastric sleeve procedure consists of permanently removing at least 80% of the stomach. Once this has been done, the surgeon sutures the rest of the stomach into a pouch or sleeve.
On the other hand, gastric bypass or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), is a procedure where a small pouch is created in the stomach and joined with the small intestine. Once this procedure is performed, instead of spending most of the time in the stomach, the food will be lodged in this small space to follow its course to the small intestine.
In both cases, these are bariatric procedures that have been performed for several years, so they are quite reliable for weight loss, and the most important thing is that their risks are quite low.
It is important to point out that just like any other surgical procedure, both interventions have some associated risks as well as advantages and disadvantages, so it is essential to take them into account before making a decision.
Who is a candidate for gastric sleeve vs. gastric bypass?
Just like with any other treatment or intervention to fight obesity, you must first be committed to the process. Additionally, there are some patients who are better candidates for certain procedures based on their patient profile.
Candidates for gastric bypass
- It allows to lose around 10 to 20 lbs of weight over the gastric sleeve due to the type of procedure, which results in a somewhat invasive surgery;
- Patients with a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 35 – 40;
- Evidence of obesity-related diseases, such as diabetes. This type of surgery is of a greater benefit in this case, reducing or even completely eliminating the symptoms of health conditions;
- Gastric reflux.
Candidates for gastric sleeve
- Require lower risk of intervention (a less invasive procedure);
- Prefer minimal recovery time;
- Have undergone different abdominal surgeries.
Even though gastric sleeve surgery is less invasive than gastric bypass (which often is percieved as lower quality of outcome), gastric sleeve can be a good solution for patients with higher BMIs. This is because the technique used by the surgeon during the procedure allows patinets to lose significan amount of weight in many cases.
Another example of when gastric sleeve surgery could be recommended instead of gastric bypass is patients who have been prescribed some type of depression or anxiety treatment. The explanation for this is quite simple: gastric bypass modifies the way medications are digested by your body and can produce counterproductive effects in a patient taking certain types of medication.
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What happens if you are not a candidate for gastric sleeve surgery or gastric bypass surgery?
In some cases, some patients are not considered suitable candidates for bariatric surgery due to various reasons like physical limitations, BMI level or medical reasons. Keeping in mind the goal of weight loss, you can consider nonsurgical procedures.
Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG)
As far as nonsurgical procedures are concerned, endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (or ESG) is one of the most recommended options and is highly effective. This method employs an endoscopic suture device that descends down the patient’s throat.
This device is used to modify the patient’s stomach into a small balloon resembling a sleeve with stitches or sutures. The purpose of this procedure is to reduce the size of the stomach by up to 25% while helping reduce the portions of food needed to feel full.
On a physical level, the changes are similar to the gastric sleeve surgery but no incisions or possible surgical complications.
Thus, it is also a great option for those patients who wish to lose weight without undergoing a second weight loss surgery. The recovery time is quite short, between 7 – 10 days and does not require staying in a hospital overnight.
If you want to learn more about surgical and nonsurgical weight loss procedures offered by Innova Weight Loss Solutions in Puerto Rico and New York, or to find out what options may be right for you, make an appointment online or call us at 917-806-3341.
