Will My Gastric Bypass be Open or Laparoscopic?

There are two of the four main methods that doctors choose between when conducting gastric bypass surgery,  is an open gastric bypass and the other is Laparoscopic surgery. Open surgery is considered very safe as is Laparoscopic surgery and both are as effective as each other.
A gastric bypass is a procedure performed to relieve people of morbid obesity and is only considered after other loss options have been exhausted or in severe obesity cases.

Most bariatric surgical procedures performed are gastric bypasses and it is guessed that over 140000 gastric bypass surgeries are undertaken in the US every year. The number is on the increase as the obesity epidemic spreads. Laparoscopy is becoming more and more common as a procedure due to increased knowledge by specialists and education by patients on this delicate yet highly effective surgical procedure.

How is laparoscopic surgery performed?

This delicate surgery is undertaken by using very small incisions, often numbering five or six. These incisions are for the surgical telescope which is in turn connected to a video camera on which the surgeon can view the internals. The whole operation is viewed on the screen rather than by looking directly inside the body as with most procedures. Experienced surgeons can perform a laparoscopy as efficiently as open surgery. Open surgery on the other hand requires one long incision to allow the surgeon complete open access to the abdomen. Other names for laparoscopic surgery include keyhole surgery, pinhole surgery or minimally invasive surgery (MIS). The incisions are usually only 0.5-1.5c in size.

What are the benefits of laparoscopic surgery compared to open surgery?

Laparoscopic surgery generally results in a shorter hospital stay due to less recovery time required. The discomfort is also said to be minimal compared with an open gastric bypass. There is also considerably less scarring and a much lower risk of an incisional hernia occurring.

Severely obese patients are generally not candidates for laparoscopic surgery. Other people who may not be able to undergo this type of surgery include those who have had abdominal surgery in the past and anyone who has certain medical conditions.

Due to the minimal chance of wound complications and less post-surgery pain, more and more people are choosing laparoscopic surgery over an open surgery procedure. Most people wish to leave the hospital as fast as possible and as such laparoscopic surgery is the choice for them.

1. Prev:Are Weight Loss Clinics Really Helpful?
2. Next:Is Weight Loss Really Easy? Follow These 2 Steps.