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Technical Terms You Need To Know For Weight Loss Surgery
Dec 21, 2018
So you've made the decision to undergo weight loss surgery---good for you! Before you enter the hospital for that life-changing day, you'll need to have quite a few conversations with doctors and other caregivers to ensure that you understand what the process will entail, what recovery will be like, and what to expect in the months following surgery.
Most of us don't go around using medical terminology to describe our days, and we definitely aren't well versed in what technical terms are used to describe medical processes; we will need to be informed about what these terms mean in order to understand what we are about to go through. Let's take a look at some of that language and how it will impact us as we embark on this road to health and wellness:
Bariatric surgery
Bariatric surgery is surgery that is performed to lose weight. This type of surgery is recommended for people who have tried conventional methods of weight loss and have been unsuccessful. People with certain conditions such as diabetes, heart issues, and circulatory issues are discouraged from having bariatric surgery, as the potential risks could outweigh the benefits of surgery.
BMI
BMI, or Body Mass Index, is the method of assessing a person's body fat content based on height and weight measures. It is a relatively simple way of calculating a person's risk of obesity, and you'll need to know this magic number as you head into surgery, as those with a higher BMI are more prone to experiencing complications with surgery. Have your doctor discuss your BMI with you and the associated risks that occur with a rising percentage.
Gastric bypass
Gastric bypass surgery is a procedure where your surgeon "bypasses" your stomach, creating a small pouch and attaching it to your small intestine with the intention for it to function as a stomach. The size of this pouch is much smaller than your regular stomach, and it will hold less. Over time, as you eat less, you will lose weight as a natural consequence of ingesting fewer calories.
Gastric sleeve surgery
The gastric sleeve procedure reduces the overall size of your natural stomach, making you feel full with less food. Gastric sleeve surgery is less risky than a bypass, due to the fact that no other organs are manipulated, and it is more successful for those undergoing the procedure due to the fact that the sleeve will not change in size over time. It is not uncommon for participants to lose 65 percent of their total body weight within the first two years after surgery; this makes it a very attractive option for those who have tried to lose weight and failed many times.
Gastric balloon surgery
The gastric balloon is the least invasive weight loss procedure, as it only requires an endoscopic placement of a balloon inserted into the stomach. The balloon is then inflated, reducing the size of the stomach. A gastric balloon typically lasts only six months, however, and a second procedure is performed to remove the balloon and place a new one.
Postoperative management
For your recovery, it will be necessary to discuss postoperative care and nutritional management with your care team. Eating the wrong types of foods can cause stomach upset, nausea, and even vomiting and, over time, can cause malnutrition that can contribute to the development of other types of diseases. Following the recommendations of your doctor will be instrumental in ensuring that your recovery is successful for years to come.
As part of proactive population health management, new guidelines on nutrition, exercise, and wellness point to the importance of creating total health. Practicing healthy habits at home and beginning a weight loss journey with the intention to succeed with some degree of permanence will be beneficial to society as a whole as we lower healthcare costs and the need for corrective measures and even medication. No matter what your current state of health, you deserve to look and feel your best. If bariatric surgery is an option for you, make sure you know and understand what your doctor is telling you about making this significant life choice. Best of luck to you on your weight loss journey!