Types of Weight-loss Surgery
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Sign up for our webinar today and find out if you qualify for bariatric surgery. We will help you navigate the beginning of the process so that you can be set up for success.
Choosing the Best Weight Loss Surgery Option For You
Making the right choice for surgery depends on many things. Your best option should meet your health and safety needs, as well as your personal goals. Together, you and Dr. Ben-Meir will select the weight loss approach you feel is right for you. We will look at indicators such as body mass index (BMI), associated medical conditions and prior history of abdominal surgery, along with anything else specific to your needs.
Dr. Ben-Meir Performs Three Different Weight Loss Surgeries
Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass
Dr. Ben-Meir will create a small pouch out of the top of your stomach. This pouch reduces the amount of food that it takes for you to feel full. This operation can be performed laparoscopically in 99% of patients seeking weight loss surgery. Laparoscopic surgery is performed through five ¼ to ½ inch incisions with a small video camera.
Below is a simple explanation of the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery:
- Dr. Ben-Meir begins by dividing the stomach into a small upper pouch that is approximately ¾ inches wide by 1.5 inches long and a large bypassed stomach.
- The small intestine is divided about 50 cm from its origin and the ‘Roux loop’ is connected to the small stomach pouch
- The intestine is reattached approximately 100-150 centimeters downstream. The bypassed stomach continues to secrete stomach juice to aid in the digestive process.
Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy
In a laparoscopic vertical sleeve gastrectomy, Dr. Ben-Meir will remove 80-85% of your stomach through five, 1/4- to 1/2-inch incisions in the abdomen. After the procedure your stomach will be 1/2 inch in diameter and five to six inches long, creating a ‘sleeve’ that can hold 1/2 to one cup of food. The gastric sleeve procedure does not involve any intestinal surgery and nothing is placed in or around the stomach. You are simply left with a sleeve of stomach that helps you feel full with a small amount of food.
Adjustable Gastric Banding (LAP Band surgery)
During a LAP band surgery, Dr. Ben-Meir places a silicone band around the top of your stomach to create a small pouch to help you feel full quickly. This band is attached to a port that is placed under the skin. The port allows the band to be adjusted as needed to help you feel full with a small amount of food. This procedure is done laparoscopically using five ¼-1/2 inch incisions.