Slim and fit is the look upheld by the fashion trends of today, so the people who have a little problem with their weight go gyms to achieve the ideal form of the human body. Some may even opt for cosmetic surgery such as liposuction in order to shed that extra fat. Many similar procedures have been developed in order to help people become slimmer and look better. However, When you start talking about duodenal switch surgery however, you begin to talk about a completely different matter altogether.
There might be nothing wrong with a little fat. In fact, chubbiness is well accepted. Being morbidly obese is a health risk, however. Obesity is also related to a number of complications such as heart problems, high blood pressure, and diabetes which ultimately threaten one’s life. The duodenal switch procedure is a rather drastic measure developed by doctors to help obese people get their life back on track. Generally, patients who have a body mass index of 40 or over are suitable candidates for this operation, and according to statistics, twenty thousand patients undergo this anti-obesity operation every year in the U.S.
How the Duodenal Switch is done
There are two steps involved in conducting the duodenal switch surgery; first is the restrictive measure, and second deals with malabsorption (or digestion). The restrictive measure is done by removing more than 85 percent of the patient’s stomach. The stomach is bisected vertically in this procedure, and the left side of it is removed. The newly reduced stomach takes a banana-like shape.
The duodenum, the part of the small intestine which comes right after the stomach, is left intact. The duodenum is where food mixes with bile and other digestive chemicals for further digestion. In the malabsorptive part of the duodenal switch, the middle part of the small intestine (the jejunum) is bypassed, and the duodenum is linked to the large intestine. It is during the food’s passage through the small intestine that nutrients and calories are absorbed by the body. As the surgery’s malabsorptive measure shortens the length of the small intestine, the body’s absorption of calories is minimized.
The surgery’s pros and cons
It is reported that patients who underwent duodenal weight loss surgery experienced an average weight loss of 60-80%. Due to the malabsorptive measure of the operation, the impact of the procedure on the patient is very much effective and long-lasting. Since a big part of the stomach is removed, the body’s hunger hormone, ghrelin, is reduced. The duodenal switch can also be done on patients who do not qualify for other weight loss surgery because they are too obese.
The procedure is definitely a big break for people who suffer from obesity. However, it does come with its own disadvantages. Aside from the frequent bowel movements, gas pains, and flatulence that the patient may suffer from his/her body having to adjust to the newly shortened intestine, undergoing the procedure requires the patient to commit to a lifelong monitoring for malnutrition. However, one may consider this as a relatively small price to pay as the surgery does significantly improve the patient’s life expectancy by alleviating his/her obesity.