Different Types Of Bariatric Surgeries

Bariatric surgery, or weight loss surgery, is a surgery to lose weight, but there’s way more to the story. There are different types of procedures, and the one you get depends on a variety of factors. For example, how much weight do you have to lose, what are your other risk factors, are you looking for a malabsorptive as well as a restrictive procedure, and what are your personal preferences?

Here is a run-down of some of the more common types of bariatric surgery procedures, along with some advantages and disadvantages of each. It’s best to talk to your doctor or surgeon as you do your research into which type of surgery may be right for you. 

Regardless of which you choose, you’ll probably need to take a bariatric multivitamin for life, but don’t worry. BariatricPal has you covered with Multivitamin ONE. It’s formulated for bariatric patients, it’s convenient, and it comes in different versions to meet your needs.

Overview of Bariatric Surgeries

Bariatric and metabolic surgery, or weight loss surgery, can help patients lose weight if they have tried other weight loss strategies and have not been successful long-term. It can also help improve health, such as lowering blood sugar and insulin resistance or decreasing blood pressure. As you lose weight, you might also notice improvements in conditions such as asthma, sleep apnea, and joint pain.

Weight loss surgery works in a few ways. First, it reduces the size of your stomach so that you cannot fit as much food in it. This is known as restriction. Instead of your regular stomach, you might end up with a smaller stomach pouch or a sleeve, depending on the procedure.

Some types of surgery are also malabsorptive. They lead to a decrease in the amount of nutrients that your body absorbs from the food you eat. That means you get fewer calories from the food you eat, but it also means you get fewer vitamins and minerals. 

Another way weight loss surgery can help you lose weight is by changing some of your hormone profiles. It can lead to a decrease in your hunger hormones, and an increase in your satiety hormones. That means you can find it easier to eat less.

Types of Bariatric Surgery Procedures

There are a few types of bariatric surgery procedures that are well known or widely studied. Here are some of them.

Sleeve Gastrectomy or Gastric Sleeve

This is also called a vertical sleeve gastrectomy. It’s laparoscopic, or minimally invasive. The surgeon needs to make only a few small incisions instead of a In this procedure, the surgeon removes about 80% of the stomach. The rest is formed into a tube, or sleeve, that is similar in shape to a banana. The sleeve gastrectomy is by far the most common surgery in the US.

This smaller stomach is able to hold less food than the original larger pouch, so sleeve patients can lose weight by eating smaller meals. This surgery also reduces the amount of ghrelin that your body produces. Ghrelin is a hormone that makes you feel hungry. Most ghrelin in the body is produced by the stomach.

These are some advantages of the sleeve.

• It helps reduce the amount of hunger that you feel. 
• It decreases the amount of food you can eat.
• It is a simple procedure.
• It is okay for many higher risk patients.

These are some disadvantages of the sleeve.

• It is not reversible.
• A common side effect is heartburn or acid reflux.
• It doesn’t affect metabolic parameters such as digestive enzymes.

Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass or RYGB

The RYGB or gastric bypass has a long history, and now it is often done laparoscopically. This procedure involves dividing the stomach into a smaller upper pouch and closing off the lower part of the stomach so that it’s no longer in use. The small intestine is divided and connected to the upper pouch so that food can digest. 

The RYGB can help with weight loss through restriction, as the size of the stomach pouch is only about the size of an egg. It is also a malabsorptive surgery because less food comes into contact with digestive enzymes from the small intestine.

These are some advantages of RYGB.

• It has a very long history of success.
• It increases fullness and decreases hunger.
• It improves diabetes very quickly.
• It can reduce gastric reflux.

These are some disadvantages of RYGB.

• Nutrient deficiencies are common.
• Risks include bowel obstructions and ulcers.
• Dumping syndrome can occur and cause nausea, early fullness, or diarrhea after eating only a small amount of food.

Adjustable Gastric Band or AGB

The adjustable gastric band is a ring-like object that goes around the stomach, dividing it into a smaller upper pouch and a larger lower pouch. Food stays for longer in the upper part of the stomach so you feel full faster. It is less popular now than it was about a decade ago due to factors such as needing a specialist for adjustments and high rates of long-term complications.

The band is placed laparoscopically around the stomach and then filled with a saline solution. The amount of solution in the band determines the amount of restriction that you feel. More solution means more restriction and faster weight loss potential, but a higher risk for complications. The band is filled via a port under the surface of the skin. You need to go to a qualified specialist every time you want to adjust your band.

These are some advantages of the band.

• It’s adjustable so you can choose your level of restriction.
• It is reversible. The band can be removed.
• The procedure is usually laparoscopic and recovery is faster.
• Can be an option for lower BMI patients

These are some disadvantages of the band.

• Weight loss may be slower.
• The band can slip or cause stomach erosion.
• Adjustments can be inconvenient. 
• There can be trouble with the esophagus.
• It has much less of an effect on metabolic disorders. 

Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch  or BPD/DS

The BPD/DS is a procedure that is more common in high-BMI patients. The surgeon makes a sleeve out of the stomach, disconnects the top part of the small intestine from the stomach, and attaches a lower part of the small intestine to the stomach. Food travels through the sleeve to the lower part of the small intestine.   

The BPD/DS is restrictive because of the small tube. It is malabsorptive because of less enzymatic activity. It improves hormones related to hunger, satiety, and blood sugar.

These are some advantages of the BPD/DS.

• It can lead to rapid weight loss.
• It can improve blood sugar control better than the other procedures.
• It can improve hormones.  

These are some disadvantages of the BPD/DS.

• It is a more invasive surgery.
• Diarrhea and heartburn are common. 
• Complication rates are high.
• Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are very common.

The Best Bariatric Vitamins

Bariatric surgery patients are at high risk for vitamin and mineral deficiencies. That is true regardless of the procedure they had. Patients are supposed to take a multivitamin and mineral supplement for life. 

BariatricPal Multivitamin ONE is a complete multivitamin and mineral supplement. It is specifically designed for bariatric patients, which is important because regular multivitamin supplements just won’t do. BariatricPal Multivitamin ONE is designed according to ASMBS guidelines to be especially high in the nutrients bariatric patients need most, such as the following.

• B vitamins, including thiamin (vitamin B1), vitamin B12, biotin and folic acid
• Vitamins C, E, K, and A
• Iron
• Zinc
• Copper
• Selenium

These and other nutrients may have the following effects.*

• Maintain normal metabolism and energy.
• Promote healthy bones, joints, blood, and heart.
• Support normal mood.
• Support healthy wound healing and immunity.
• Maintain cellular integrity and antioxidant functions.
• Promote healthy hair, skin, and nails.

Multivitamin ONE comes in convenient one-a-day dosages, so you’re not forced to be taking your vitamins multiple times a day. Choose from coated capsules that are easy to swallow, or great-tasting chewable tablets.  

These are your choices for Multivitamin ONE.

• Coated Capsules with 0, 18, 45, or 60 mg iron
• Pleasant Orange Citrus Chewables without iron or with 45 mg iron
• Enjoyable Mixed Berry Chewables without iron or with 45 mg iron

Ask a healthcare provider which may be right for you. 

These multivitamins are available at a discounted price when you sign up for recurring deliveries. That way, you can be sure you’ll never run out.  

There are a few common types of bariatric surgeries, and the one that is right for you depends on your individual factors and on your surgeon’s recommendation. Whichever you choose, you are at risk for nutrient deficiencies and need to take a multivitamin for life. BariatricPal Multivitamin ONE is a once-daily supplement that is designed for you and is easy and affordable.  

*The Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated these statements. BariatricPal products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Anyone with a medical condition should seek the advice of a licensed medical practitioner. Individual results may vary.