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Bariatric Surgery

If You Suffer from Severe Obesity . . .
We Can Help.

Attend a FREE Informational Meeting

Sutter Medical Center of Santa Rosa, in conjunction with Health Steps Weight loss Center, is presenting FREE informational meetings on the many health benefits of weight loss surgery. Healthy Steps is Sonoma County's only surgical weight loss specialists (bariatric surgeons) utilizing Laparoscopic Gastric Banding (Lap Band), Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass and Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy for the treatment of obesity and its complications.

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Bariatric surgery is the surgical procedure of the stomach and/or intestines to promote weight loss for individuals who are significantly overweight, considered morbidly obese. Morbid obesity is defined as individuals who are 100 lbs. over their ideal body weight with a body mass index (BMI) above 40. Morbid Obesity has reached almost epidemic proportions in the United States, with nearly 11 million persons suffering from its debilitating effects. Bariatric surgery is also an option for individuals with a BMI between 35-40 with additional health problems such as heart disease or diabetes.

Surgical Techniques

Weight-loss (bariatric) surgery is the surgical procedure of the stomach and/or intestines to promote weight loss for individuals who are significantly overweight, considered morbidly obese.

Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

The Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is the most popular form of bariatric surgery in the US. This procedure can be performed laparoscopically or with an open incision, but once the surgeons gain access to the abdominal cavity, the internal procedure is the same. The Roux-en-Y is a two-part surgery in which the surgeons restrict the amount of food the stomach can hold and bypasses a portion of the small intestine so that it can absorb fewer nutrients and calories.

During the first part of the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure, the surgeons use surgical staples to divide the stomach into two parts-a tiny pouch that will serve as the new stomach and a larger portion that will not come in contact with the food but that will stay intact and produce digestive juices. During the second part of the Roux-en-Y procedure, the upper portion of the small intestine is divided in half. One half is used to form a new outlet for the tiny new stomach pouch. The other end of the divided intestine is then reconnected downstream from the division, forming the "Y" described in the name of this weight loss surgery procedure.

By rerouting the gastro-intestinal anatomy in this way, food bypasses most of the stomach and the upper portion of the small intestine that contains most of the digestive enzymes. The combined effect of the smaller stomach capacity and intestinal malabsorption greatly reduces the calories and nutrients entering the blood stream.

The food and the digestive enzymes from the bypassed portion of the stomach and small intestine come together at the "Y" connection and pass through the remaining portion of the small intestine together. This allows sufficient time for the body to absorb enough nutrients to meet its needs.

Adjustable gastric banding

Adjustable gastric banding (AGB) is the only weight loss surgery that is adjustable. This procedure reduces food intake by limiting the amount of food the stomach can hold. In AGB, a hollow silicone band that can be inflated with saltwater is placed around the upper end of the stomach, creating a small pouch that catches the food, allowing it to drain slowly into the rest of the stomach. The flow of food from the pouch can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the inflation of the band. This procedure also requires a lifetime regimen of nutritional supplements.

Are you considering weight-loss surgery?

For some people, weight-loss surgery can be a life-saving option. More than 90 percent of morbidly obese patients with medical conditions such as diabetes or hypertension no longer require medications to control their diseases. However, all weight loss surgeries require your active participation. If you continue with the same old habits, you can easily override anything a doctor can do for you.

More Health Information

Should I have weight loss surgery?
Learn more about gastric bypass
Learn more about lap band surgery