The Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RNY) is the most common bariatric procedure performed in the United States. If you’re considering weight loss surgery, it is undoubtedly one of the options your surgeon will offer. It is crucial that you understand this procedure, its mechanism for weight loss, and the possible complications it offers. Below, I provide a brief overview that serves as a good place to start your research.
Diagram of the Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass
Tis the season for New Year’s resolutions, diet schemes galore, and recommitments to health that fizzle out by the end of January. But maybe you’ve decided that this year will be different for you. Is this the year that you’ll consider bariatric surgery? After all, if you are morbidly obese, conventional weight loss approaches, such as diet, exercise, and pharmaceuticals, have a failure rate between 95 and 97%. If you’re thinking about bariatric surgery, let’s talk.
Photo Credit: Darrren Hester (Flickr)
There are four popular weight loss surgeries currently performed: the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RNY), the adjustable gastric band (AGB), the duodenal switch (DS), and the vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG). Of the four, the vertical sleeve gastrectomy, also known as the gastric sleeve, is the newest procedure, debuting in the 1990s, but it is quickly gaining popularity.
American obesity rates have continued to grow, increasing markedly since 1980. Between 1980 and 2004, the rate of obesity among adults increased from 15% to 33%. This increase has led researchers to declare that obesity is now an epidemic in the United States. Fifteen million Americans are currently morbidly obese, with a BMI over 35.
A report from the December issue of Archives of Surgery found that pre-operative weight loss lead to fewer complications, both major and minor, following weight loss surgery. Patients who lost at least 5% of their body weight were significantly less likely to experience surgical complications.
Continue reading ‘Pre-Operative Weight Loss Decreases Risk of Complications’
