by EBSCO Medical Review Board

People with severe obesity and weight-related health problems may need weight-loss surgery. It is not the first way obesity is treated. Diet, lifestyle changes, and counseling will be tried first. People who do have surgery will still need to make diet and lifestyle changes.

Adjustable Gastric Banding
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Copyright © 2002 Nucleus Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

Surgery may be done using open surgery or using small incisions. The most common surgeries are:

  • Surgeries that limit food intake:
    • Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (AGB)—uses a hollow band around the stomach to make a small pouch.
    • Vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG)—removes a large portion of the stomach.
    • Vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG)—uses staples and a band to create a small pouch (not as common).
    • Intragastric balloon—a balloon is placed in the stomach and filled with saline.
  • Surgeries that limit food absorption:
    • Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RGB)—uses staples to create a small pouch. The pouch is attached to the small intestine. It bypasses the rest of the stomach.
    • Biliopancreatic diversion (BPD)—removes parts of the stomach to create a small pouch. The pouch is connected to the small intestine. It bypasses the upper part of the small intestine.
Gastric Bypass
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Copyright © 2002 Nucleus Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

References

Heymsfield SB, Wadden TA. Mechanisms, pathophysiology, and management of Obesity. N Engl J Med. 2017;376(3):254-266.

Obesity. Merck Manual Professional Version website. Available at: http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/nutritional-disorders/obesity-and-the-metabolic-syndrome/obesity. Accessed May 6, 2022

Obesity in adults. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/obesity-in-adults. Accessed May 6, 2022.

Obesity in children and adolescents. EBSCO DynaMed website. https://www.dynamed.com/condition/obesity-in-children-and-adolescents. Accessed May 6, 2022.

Treatment. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website. Available at: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/obe/treatment. Accessed May 6, 2022.

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