New Jersey Bariatric Surgery

Do I Qualify? | Bariatric Surgery | Lap Band | Realize Band | Gastric Bypass | Health Benefits | StomaphyX |
Risks | Choosing a Procedure | BMI

Bariatric Surgery is the clinical name for weight loss surgical procedures, including Gastric Bypass, Lap Band and REALIZE Band surgery.  The goal of all procedures is to reduce the amount of food that the stomach can hold, leading to a feeling of fullness quickly and then weight loss due to less calorie consumption in order to lower ones risk of medical problems associated with obesity.

Bariatric Surgery

Initially surgeons performed open bariatric surgery, they created a single incision to open the abdomen for the operation.  Today, thanks to technological advances, skilled surgeons perform the procedures laparoscopically.

When a laparoscopic operation is performed, a small video camera is inserted into the abdomen. The surgeon views the procedure on a separate video monitor. The camera and surgical instruments are inserted through small incisions made in the abdominal wall. This approach is considered less invasive because it replaces the need for one long incision to open the abdomen. A recent study shows that patients who had laparoscopic bariatric surgery experience less pain after surgery resulting in easier breathing and lung function and higher overall oxygen levels. Additional benefits of laparoscopy are shorter hospital stay and fewer wound complications such as infection, scarring, or hernia; patients return more quickly to pre-surgical levels of activity.
(Ref. 1)

Open vs. Laparoscopic

Laparoscopic procedures for bariatric surgery employ the same principles as their open counterparts and produce similar excess weight loss. The American Society for Bariatric Surgery recommends that laparoscopic weight loss surgery only be performed by surgeons who are experienced in both laparoscopic and open bariatric procedures.

1) Nguyen NT, Goldman C, Rosenquist CJ, Arango A, Cole CJ, Lee SJ, Wolfe BM. Laparoscopic vs. Open Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass: A Randomized Study of Outcomes, Quality of Life, and Costs. Ann Surg 2001;234:279-291.