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Bariatric Procedures

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A rise in the number of gastrointestinal surgeries being performed for weight loss is a reflection of the increase in the number of people who are morbidly obese. According to Steinbrook (2004), “gastrointestinal surgeries performed annually for severe obesity increased from 16,000 in the early 1990s to about 103,000 in 2003” (p. 1075). Bariatric surgery, like all major surgery, carries inherent risks, but due to the nature of the patients seeking these procedures standard risks can be compounded. Additionally, each unique bariatric procedure has different benefits and dangers.
Generally speaking, bariatric procedures carry a high risk because the morbidly obese are at a higher likelihood of developing complications. Steinbrook (2004) explains,

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