When obesity becomes morbid (damaging to health)and dieting and exercising are not working, surgery could be indicated. Two of the surgical procedures used are the gastric bypass and stomach banding. Both procedures reduce the size of the stomach.
In gastric bypass, most of the stomach is stapled off, creating a pouch in the upper part. The pouch is attached directly to the jejunum so that the food eaten bypasses most of the stomach.
In stomach banding, the stomach is also stapled but to a slightly lesser degree than in gastric bypass. The food moves to the duodenum, but the outlet from the upper stomach is somewhat restricted.
In both procedures the reduced stomach capacity limits the amount of food that can be eaten, and fewer nutrients are absorbed. Consequently, weight is lost.
These procedures are done only on morbidly obese clients who meet certain strict criteria. A psychological evaluation will also be given to deter- mine if the client is ready to change his or her lifestyle and adhere to healthier eating and an exercise routine. If not, the surgery will not be a success. Also, extensive nutrition counseling with a dietitian will take place before and after the surgery.
Some obese people may feel that this surgery would be a quick fix, but it is not. There can be complications such as bleeding; infections; gastritis; gallstones; and iron, vitamin B12, and calcium deficiencies.
Another common complication is “dumping syndrome,” which can cause nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, bloating, and dizziness. Dumping occurs when foods quickly pass into the intestines without absorption of any nutrients. This happens after partial stomach removal or small intestine removal, where food (chyme) dumps directly into the large intestine.
