Surgeries for Obesity: Which of These Can Give You Back Your Life?

You can reach a healthy body size and lengthen your lifespan through weight loss surgery combined with good nutrition and regular exercise. Dr V. Kuzinkovas provides the highest quality surgical services to address obesity through various procedures. He believes every patient should be treated with compassion, dignity and looks forward to helping you determine the best surgery for your weight loss needs. 

Our advanced laparoscopic surgeon is a world-renowned expert in his field for upper gastrointestinal and pancreatic surgeries. Lap band surgery, gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy may help you lead a healthier life. Each surgery has unique benefits, and Dr V. Kuzinkovas will help you decide the best route forward at your consultation at Advanced Surgicare. 

Gastric Banding (Lap Band Surgery)   

Lap band surgery (gastric band surgery) for obese patients involves placing an adjustable silicone band around a section in the upper stomach. The silicone piece is tightened or loosened over time with saline solution. The laparoscopic procedure is minimally invasive and reversible if necessary. The 30-to-40-minute surgery comes with the lowest risk of complications and doesn’t alter your regular digestion. 

You will likely stay in hospital for just one day and return to work after one week. However, you will probably need to avoid some food types after you recover. Some people experience vomiting, burping and sickness if the band is overly tight. Dr V. Kuzinkovas adjusts the band during regular visits, and you may lose up to 50 percent of excess kilograms. 

Gastric Sleeve (Sleeve Gastrectomy) 

Sleeve gastrectomy is more invasive than lap band surgery but offers more weight loss (up to 70 percent of excess kilograms). It’s a restrictive and permanent approach that removes much of the stomach to limit food intake for gradual weight reduction. By removing 70 – 80 percent of the stomach, gastric sleeve surgery reduces the feeling of hunger by lowering the production of the hormone ghrelin that tells your body to eat. The procedure takes about 45 to 60 minutes and requires fewer follow-ups than the lap band — you won’t feel any hunger or have issues with a foreign object in your body. Sleeve gastrectomy has a very low morbidity and mortality rate and can improve obesity-related conditions such as diabetes. 

You’ll need to stay in hospital for up to three days and take 1-2 weeks away from your job. You can still enjoy a variety of foods with smaller portions, and sickness and vomiting are rare. Dr V. Kuzinkovas also performs the SADI-S (single anastomosis duodeno-ileal bypass) procedure, a new variant of sleeve gastrectomy that reduces surgical time and the risk of intestinal leakage. Small section of the intestine is excluded (bypassed) from digestion with SADI-S. It still allows your body to absorb a sufficient amount of nutrients, though you’ll need to take vitamins for the rest of your life. 

Gastric Bypass 

Gastric bypass surgery offers maximum weight loss (80 percent of excess weight). It is considered the most effective solution for morbidly obese individuals who are unsuccessful at shedding kilograms through diet and exercise alone. The procedure often improves or resolves diabetes, eliminating two significant health risks in one surgery. Gastric bypass reduces the size of the functional section of your stomach to an egg, then fashions a stoma (small opening) between the intestine and stomach and connects it to the egg-sized pouch. Food bypasses the big part of the stomach remnant and small section of the proximal small bowel. It passes straight into the small intestine, which releases multiple satiety hormones and absorbs nutrients and calories, so you can feel full while eating far lesser volume of food, at the same time stay satisfied longer. 

Gastric bypass is an invasive laparoscopic procedure but is reversible if necessary. The procedure takes up to 90 minutes at Advanced Surgicare in Sydney. This surgery is excellent for rapid weight loss and long-term results. Like the gastric sleeve, you’ll need to stay in hospital for two to four days and take one to two weeks away from your job. It’s rare for gastric bypass patients to experience vomiting, burping or sickness. 

Schedule Your Consult with Dr V. Kuzinkovas in Sydney 

If you are classed as obese and have exhausted your non-surgical options for weight loss and improving your health, contact Advanced Surgicare to schedule your appointment. Dr V. Kuzinkovas is a world-renowned expert in weight loss procedures and will determine the best way to reach a healthy size for your frame. Please call our Sydney clinic at 1300 551 533.