Friday, October 17, 2014

By Jocelyn Davidson


The surgical procedure to do a duodenal switch combines mal-absorptive and restrictive surgery meant for losing weight. This procedure reduces the food quantity one is able to take and the amount of calories the body can absorb and utilize. The surgical procedure is used to create a stomach pouch of moderate size and bypassing some section of the small intestine. For people that look to go for duodenal switch surgery in Mexico, it is essential that they know what to expect.

It is performed in a surgical centre or hospital through the use of general anesthesia. It starts with incisions that are half-inch long and are made in the area of the stomach and the middle of the abdomen. The stomach is left attached to the first segment of the ileum known as the duodenum which is then separated from the other parts of the small intestine.

There is then attachment of the duodenum to the lower part of the ileum. This is done while bypassing most of the second and also third small intestine segments. The surgeon confirms that there are no leakages, after which the instruments used are withdrawn followed by closing of the made incisions. Closure of the incisions is done using absorbable sutures or sterile tape.

The results of the procedure are excellent. On average, a patient will lose between 70 and 80 percent of the excess weight after two years following the surgical procedure. There are increased risks of suffering from nutritional deficiencies with this procedure than with the other weight loss procedures. For their lifetime, the patient will have to use nutritional supplements like vitamins and minerals.

In the long run, patients that go for the duodenal switch will achieve lasting results. The fact that the body is not able to absorb all the ingested food means one does not have go for lifestyle changes as is the case with various other types of bariatric surgery. In addition, a patient is able to eat larger food portions and thus get better satisfaction.

The benefits of the procedure are many. In addition to the main benefit which is weight loss, patients will have better eating quality due to a more normal stomach. Since the stomach portion with the hunger stimulating hormone is removed, appetite and hunger are reduced. Persons that take anti-inflammatory drugs will have no fear of contracting ulcers. In the event of mal absorptive complications, the intestinal bypass can be partially reversed.

There are some disadvantages as well. For instance, there is increase probability of suffering from chronic diarrhea and gas. With increased mal-absorption, one could suffer from anemia, lack of proteins and metabolic diseases of bones. About 15 percent of people are affected by these conditions. Excessive intake of carbohydrates leads to abdominal pain or insufficient weight loss. There could also be regaining of weight in the long term.

There is the possibility of having complications just like is the case with most surgeries. These include duodenal leak, small bowel obstruction and post-operative nausea. If performed by experienced surgeons, chances of complications are minimal.




About the Author:



0 comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to RSS Feed Follow me on Twitter!