The fact that people need to lose weight is no secret. More and more Americans, man, woman, and child, are becoming obese. It is affecting all genders, all races, all social classes, and something needs to be done. And something is being done, with a variety of new treatment procedures being developed regularly. Two of those options are the sleeve gastrectomy and the Orbera gastric balloon.
The Sleeve Gastrectomy
The sleeve gastrectomy is one of the newest types of laparoscopic procedures, and one that is quickly gaining in popularity. In fact, in some countries, it is the most popular form of bariatric surgery around. It is an irreversible procedure and should only be offered to people whose BMI is at least 40. The exception is for people with a 35+ BMI but who also suffer from a comorbid disorder such as high blood pressure, heart disease, or type 2 diabetes.
The procedure is completed by stapling off and removing a large part of the stomach. As a result, people are left with a sleeve, a narrow tube, for their stomach. This is very different from the natural stomach, which is large and expandable.
Those who have had a sleeve gastrectomy will enjoy a completely new relationship with food. This is because the parts of the stomach that are removed are those responsible for appetite and hunger. This means that you will, on the one hand, be unable to eat large quantities of food, but you will also not have any desire to eat more than that. One of the greatest things about this procedure is that it does not create absorption issues. As a result, people have less risk of malnutrition and other complications.
The Orbera Gastric Balloon
The Orbera gastric balloon is a new, non-surgical procedure. Its aim is to help adult people to lose weight, and to be able to maintain this weight loss as well. The first hospital in the country to perform this procedure was the Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC. The procedure is non-invasive, which instantly increases its popularity.
The procedure involves the placement of a soft, deflated balloon made of a very durable material. This is done through an endoscopy, meaning it goes in through the throat. Once in place, it is filled with a sterile saline solution, filling it up to the size of a melon. It takes just half an hour for the procedure to be completed.
The balloon stays in place for six months, after which it is deflated and take out through an endoscopy again. For twelve months after the surgery, patients receive nutritional counseling, thereby ensuring that weight loss can be maintained.
After the gastric balloon, you should start to see the majority of your weight loss happening within three months. Average weight loss is about three times more than weight loss using only exercise and diet. However, you must make lifestyle changes, becoming more active and eating a healthy diet. As with all weight loss procedures, that is something you need to commit to for life.
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