Surgery

Currently surgery is the only way to achieve significant, sustained weight loss for people who are morbidly obese. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has recommended consideration of this treatment for people with morbid obesity when non surgical treatment has failed.

In the past, surgery for morbid obesity was high risk partly due to the large incisions required to perform the operation. Intensive care was often required after the operation and the complication rate from surgery was high. Since the advent of laparoscopic (key-hole) surgery, the operations have become far less risky. As a result surgery is now considered a valuable way of achieving weight loss for those patients with morbid obesity who have failed to lose weight by other means.

Weight loss surgery operations are either restrictive or malabsorptive.

Restrictive surgery reduces the stomach size and so limits the amount of food that can be eaten. It does not interfere with the normal digestive process but does require changes to the diet and eating. These operations are performed by key-hole surgery.

The most common type of restrictive operation currently performed is laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding. Sleeve gastrectomy may be an alternative in selected cases.

Malabsorptive surgery works mainly by restricting the absorption of food and nutrients (malabsorption). This surgery does alter the normal digestive process and involves cutting areas of the intestine and stomach. Although more complicated it is also performed by key-hole surgery. It is permanent and nutritional supplements may be required long-term.

One example of a malabsorptive operation is Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB).   Others include Biliopancreatic Diversion (BPD/Scopinaro) procedure, Duodenal Switch (BPD/DS)

Our surgeons will discuss the operation best suited to your individual circumstances.

Our results
The Weight Loss Surgery Clinic has presented its results in over 250 gastric band patients at international surgery and diabetology conferences. These results include: