Weight Loss Surgery

What is Weight Loss Surgery?

Bariatric surgery, also called weight loss surgery, is a category of surgical operations intended to help people with obesity lose weight. Dr. Jorge Castillo the founder of Tijuana Bariatric Surgery may recommend bariatric surgery if other weight loss methods have failed and if obesity appears to pose a greater risk to your health than surgery.

Bariatric surgery procedures work by modifying your digestive system — usually your stomach, and sometimes also your small intestine — to regulate how many calories you can consume and absorb. They can also reduce the hunger signals that travel from your digestive system to your brain.

These procedures can help treat and prevent many metabolic diseases related to obesity, including diabetes and fatty liver disease. But weight loss surgery isn’t an easy “quick fix”. It requires preparation beforehand and long-term lifestyle changes afterward to be successful.

Why is bariatric surgery done?

Bariatric surgery is the most successful long-term treatment for class III obesity. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), it is nearly impossible for people with class III obesity to sustain weight loss through diet and exercise alone.

Once your body has registered your higher weight as “normal,” it continues to try to return to that weight. Bariatric surgery works by changing how your body manages what you eat, allowing healthy diet and lifestyle changes to be effective for sustained weight loss and health.

What kinds of conditions can bariatric surgery treat?

Obesity is associated with many chronic diseases, many of which can be life-threatening. These conditions and risk factors greatly improve after surgery and weight loss. If you’re a candidate for bariatric surgery, you may already have or be at risk of developing any of these diseases, including:

• High cholesterol. Hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol) means your blood has too many lipids (fats) in it. These can add up and lead to blockages in your blood vessels. This is why high cholesterol can put you at risk for a stroke or heart attack.
• High blood pressure. Hypertension (high blood pressure) means the force of blood flowing through your blood vessels is too high. This wears down the walls of your blood vessels and puts you at greater risk of heart attack and stroke.
• High blood sugar. Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) is highly linked to insulin resistance and is considered a precursor to diabetes. Left untreated, it can damage your nerves, blood vessels, tissues and organs, increasing your risk of many diseases.
• Type 2 diabetes. Excess fat storage can lead to insulin resistance, which can lead to adult-onset diabetes (type 2). The risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases by 20% for each 1 point increase on the BMI (body mass index) scale.
• Heart disease. Obesity can lead to impaired cardiac function and congestive heart failure. It can also cause plaque to build up inside your arteries and increases your risk of heart attack and stroke.
• Kidney disease. Metabolic syndromes associated with obesity, including high blood pressure, insulin resistance and congestive heart failure, are major contributors to chronic kidney disease and kidney failure.
• Obstructive sleep apnea. People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep when their upper respiratory tract becomes blocked. These episodes reduce oxygen flow to the vital organs and particularly endanger the heart.
• Osteoarthritis. Having excess weight puts extra pressure on joints like your knees. This makes it more likely that you’ll develop osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease, or make it worse if you already have it.
• Non-alcohol related fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD occurs when your body begins depositing excess fat in your liver. It can lead to non-alcohol related steatohepatitis (NASH), chronic inflammation that can do long-term damage to your liver.
• Cancer. While the connection isn’t entirely understood, obesity is correlated with an increased risk of acquiring more than a dozen types of cancer. It also increases your risk of death from cancer by more than 50%.

What qualifies you for bariatric surgery?

Bariatric surgery requirements begin with establishing a diagnosis of class III obesity. That means that you either:

• Have a BMI of 40 or higher. The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a way of estimating how much body fat you have based on your height-to-weight ratio. A score of 40 or higher is associated with a high risk of related diseases. It usually equates to about 100 lbs. overweight.
• Have a BMI of at least 35 and at least one related health problem. A BMI of 35 without a related health problem is considered class II obesity.

The criteria are slightly higher for adolescents. An adolescent may be a candidate if they have:

• BMI of at least 40 and an obesity-related medical condition.
• BMI of at least 35 and a severe obesity-related medical condition.

While BMI is easily measured, you may have to take some medical tests to diagnose your obesity-related health conditions.

How is weight loss surgery performed?

Weight loss surgery is usually performed through minimally invasive methods (laparoscopic surgery). That means small incisions, faster healing and less pain and scarring than you would have with traditional open surgery. Very rarely, some patients are better treated with open surgery due to their specific conditions.

What are the different types of bariatric surgery?

Bariatric surgery, or weight loss surgery, involves several different procedures, including Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, adjustable gastric banding, and biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch, and mini gastric bypass.

These procedures are designed to help individuals lose weight by either restricting food intake, altering nutrient absorption, or both.

How much weight do you lose with bariatric surgery?

Most people — about 90% — lose about 50% of their excess weight after bariatric surgery, and keep it off. Different procedures have slightly different results.

The average weight loss after gastric bypass is about 70% of excess body weight. After a duodenal switch, it’s about 80%. Weight loss after sleeve gastrectomy ranges between 30% and 80%. These results are measured after a period of 18 to 24 months.

What kind of postoperative care will I have after weight loss surgery?

During the first year after your surgery, Dr. Jorge Castillo will see you regularly for follow-up visits and testing. They will take metabolic blood tests to monitor how your health is improving and screen for any nutritional deficiencies.

After the first year, if you’re in good health and have lost a lot of weight, you may want to discuss body contouring options with Dr. Illich Navarro, a body contouring expert after massive weight loss. Body contouring at Mommy Makeover Tijuana can help remove excess skin folds and tighten loose tissues.