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Gastric Bypass Essay

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The number of gastric bypass surgeries has been increased in the last few years and it is considered the ‘‘gold standard’’ of bariatric operations. Bariatric operation or weight reduction surgery is recommended mainly for people whose BMI exceeds 40 kg/m2 as reported by the National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Program, or for those whose BMI is between 35 – 40 40 kg/m2 and who are have life-threatening complications such as cardiac problems (Franco et al., 2011). On the one hand, traditional treatments for weight loss such as lifestyle change do not work for some people. On the other hand, bariatric surgeries have emerged as an effective and safe treatment for obesity; most patients lose 60% of their weight within the first year (Lemmens et al., 2014). Three procedures are commonly performed: laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB), the novel laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), and laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB). Of these, the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is the most common (Franco et al., 2011). …show more content…

However, it is technically a complicated and irreversible procedure, especially when done laparoscopically. Roux-en-Y technique consists of three stages: reduction, malabsorption, and appetite loss. In the reduction stage, the upper part of the stomach is incised, creating a small pouch that can hold only 20-30 ml of food. A portion of the small intestine is then cut and attached to the stomach pouch so the food goes directly to the jejunum (distal part of small intestine). This step of the surgery causes the malabsorption especially from fat. Another contributor to low caloric intake is the decrease in a peptide hormone called ghrelin which suppresses the appetite (Marmuse & Parenti,

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