Bariatric surgery can help overweight or obese individuals work toward meaningful and sustainable weight loss. However, patients who undergo weight loss surgery must be mindful of their diet and physical activity for the rest of their lives. After bariatric surgery, weight loss results are dependent on a patient’s commitment to long-term lifestyle changes.
There are three main types of bariatric weight loss surgery. These include:
- Restrictive surgeries, which make the stomach smaller to limit food intake
- Maldigestive surgeries, which divert food away from the stomach and allow food to bypass part of the small intestine, therefore allowing fewer calories to be absorbed by the body
- Combination surgeries, which incorporate both restrictive and maldigestive techniques
There are many different types of weight loss surgery procedures that fall within these three main categories. At Tampa General Hospital, we perform three bariatric surgeries:
- Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), in which the stomach is divided into two components and the smaller section is used to create a new stomach. This new stomach is connected directly to the middle part of the small intestine, bypassing the rest.
- Sleeve gastrectomy, in which a large portion (approximately 75 percent) of the stomach is removed to permanently reduce the size of the organ. This is a restrictive form of bariatric surgery.
Together with the rest of our bariatric services team, our board-certified surgeons will help each patient determine which type of weight loss surgery is right for his or her needs. Before any surgery is performed, prospective patients must attend a bariatric surgery information session as well as a pre-operative bariatric surgery support group. We also require that patients complete a minimum of six months of non-surgical weight loss counseling before surgery is considered, as well as post-operative counseling and support groups after bariatric surgery to enhance the likelihood of a successful outcome.
For more information about bariatric surgery at Tampa General Hospital, email bariatriccenter@tgh.org or call (813) 844-7473.