Obesity and morbid obesity can have a negative impact on your health, wellness, and overall enjoyment of life. That may explain why we’ve seen so many patients come to Tijuana Bariatrics over the years. State-of-ther-art bariatric surgery can help patients lose weight and achieve a healthier lifestyle.
When a patient is morbidly obese, they face a unique set of issues that have to be properly considered. Let’s go over the definition of morbid obesity and consider which surgeries may be best for treating this problem.
Morbid Obesity Defined
While morbid obesity refers to being extremely overweight, the condition has a specific set of factors. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) says that morbid obesity is when someone can be described in the following ways:
- Weighs 100 pounds more than their ideal body weight
- Has a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or greater
- Has a BMI of 35 or greater and suffers from a comorbidity
A comorbidity refers to any sort of obesity-related illness or health problem. Some examples of comobidities include:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Hypertension
- Heart disease
- High cholesterol
- Sleep apnea
- Acid reflux/GERD
- Joint pain/problems
Given the nature of morbid obesity, it’s important that the excessive weight be addressed as soon as possible in order to improve the health and quality of life for a patient.
Not All Weight Loss Surgeries Are the Same
While weight loss surgery has been effective in the treatment of obesity and morbid obesity, not all surgeries are as effective as others. The reason for this generally depends on the surgery’s mechanisms for weight loss.
Some weight loss procedures are restrictive in nature, limiting the amount of food that can be consumed and hence reducing caloric intake. Other weight loss procedures are malpabsoroptive in nature, reducing the amount of calories absorbed by the small intestine. Still others combine these restrictive and malabbsorptive elements.
What Happens If a Patient Undergoes the Wrong Surgery?
If a morbidly obese patient undergoes the wrong bariatric procedure, they may not lose as much weight as they ought to. While any weight loss is helpful when combatting obesity, a lack of sufficient weight loss may not be able to address the comorbidities associated with morbid obesity.
Gastric Bypass Surgery
For many morbidly obese patients, gastric bypass surgery is the most ideal procedure. Combining restrictive and malabsorptive weight loss, the surgery will create a smaller tomach pouch and alter a portion of a patient’s digestive tract to promote safe and rapid weight loss.
Duodenal Switch Surgery
Duodenal switch is another excellent option for morbidly obese patients. Like the gastric bypass, this type of bariatric surgery combines restrictive and malabsorptive weight loss. The reduction in stomach size and rerouting of the small intestine can work wonders for weight loss and wellness.
Helping You Make the Right Decisions
While both gastric bypass and duodenal switch surgeries can be effective, there will typically be one surgery that is more ideal for a patient than another.
During a consultation at our practice, we will be able to assess your situation and determine which weight loss procedure is more ideal given your needs. As we go over these surgical options, you can feel free to ask questions so you can be more confident in your choices. We are here to help you.
Contact Tijuana Bariatrics
For more information about the ideal surgical options for morbidly obese patients, be sure to contact the weight loss surgery experts of Tijuana Bariatrics today. We will work with you to develop an ideal surgical weight loss plan.
