Rhode Island Adult Bariatric Surgery

If greater weight loss is required than a gastric banding procedure can produce, a gastric bypass operation may be considered.

Gastric bypass procedures reduce food absorption, in addition to restricting food intake. Patients who have gastric bypass procedures generally lose 70% of their excess weight within one and a half years.

In a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) – the most common weight loss procedure – a small stomach pouch is created by stapling, which separates it from the rest of the stomach. Then a section of the small intestine is attached to the new pouch to allow food to bypass most of the original stomach and first portion of the small intestine. This reduces calorie intake as well as nutrient absorption.

The limited quantity of food, combined with the reduced absorption of calories, results in a faster weight loss than is normally achieved by the gastric banding procedure.

In this surgery, approximately 70% of the stomach is removed to limit the volume of food intake at one time.

This procedure is similar to the band procedure in that it restricts the volume of food intake. Patients can lose about 40% to 60% of their excess weight over one and a half years.

Unlike the band operation, however, this surgical procedure is permanent.

After the stomach is divided as described in the gastric sleeve procedure above, a bilio-pancreatic duodenal switch surgery is usually carried out several months later as the second stage of the operation.

During this surgery, the stomach and the first part of the small intestine are surgically separated and reattached to the last portion of the small intestine. Bilio-pancreatic duodenal switch surgery is reserved for the most severely obese patients.

Gastric banding, done laparoscopically, is less invasive and the only adjustable reversible obesity surgery available.

During this procedure, surgeons place an inflatable silicone band around the upper stomach to create a new, smaller stomach pouch that limits the amount of food that can be consumed and slows the progression of food from the stomach to the intestines.

Patients will feel full sooner and be satisfied with smaller amounts of food, which can result in losing as much as 40% to 60% of their body weight over a three-year period.

The gastric band itself is adjustable, by adding or removing fluid from the band’s interior through a small port that is placed beneath the patient’s skin. The surgeon can adjust the band via the port with minimal discomfort to the patient. If the band needs to be removed, the stomach will return to its original form and function.

In some instances, revisional endoscopic or laparoscopic bariatric surgery is needed to remove a malfunctioning band or revise a sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass.

Both surgical and endoscopic procedures are made available to our patients who may need revisional bariatric surgery for weight regain or malfunctioning previous bariatric surgery.

EMT Morgan Schmitt shares what it's been like recovering from bariatric surgery during COVID-19 pandemic and how the procedure has already changed her life. MORE »