Which is Better? Mini Gastric Bypass or Gastric Sleeve Surgery?
The Mini Gastric Bypass Surgery and The Gastric Sleeve Surgery are great options for obese people to lose weight and change their life in so many aspects. However, many patients deal with so many questions prior to undergoing surgery and the most important question always asked is, which procedure will be better for me. It is important to mention that both surgeries, the Gastric Sleeve surgery and the Mini Gastric Bypass surgery have their benefits, so it is not always just about choosing which surgery the patient wants, but rather which surgery is actually better so that the patient can reach goal weight. As such it is important to learn which surgery is suitable for each patient according to their medical history and eating habits. In few words, it is about choosing the best surgery option specifically for each patient. Patient’s health and safety always come first!
It is said that Mini Gastric Bypass was created to reduce the operating time of the RNY surgery, thus simplifying the procedure and the goal was to reduce surgical complications. This procedure is a quicker operation than the full-blown Gastric Bypass surgery; the surgeon as with the RNY, creates a pouch in the stomach with a laparoscopic stapler but here the Mini Gastric Bypass only has one connection with the small intestine (which in theory means less chance of complication than the RNY where you have 2 connections to deal with) and this surgery restricts and impairs the absorption of food nutrients across the gastrointestinal tract, giving similar weight loss and recovery to the RNY. The surgeon with the Mini Gastric Bypass counts out a meter and a half of the small intestine and brings that up to the newly created pouch and connects the intestine at the meter and a half mark. The full RNY actually has the surgeon removing the meter and a half of the small intestine thus requiring the two connections. Here the surgery is less demanding, quicker, and has fewer steps and thus promotes a larger amount of weight loss than the sleeve but is not as aggressive as the full RNY Gastric Bypass. Mini Gastric Bypass surgery promotes weight loss in two ways, showing rapid results in short term and in the long run.
Gastric Sleeve Surgery is one of the leading weight loss surgery options available today, which involves the removal of 60 to 80 % of the stomach allowing for the management of morbid obesity through restriction. The portion of the stomach that remains will take the shape of a shirt sleeve, reducing the amount of food the patient is able to consume. Dr. Juan F. Hidalgo, a leading surgeon at Weight Loss Team, the bariatric surgical center at the CMQ Riviera Nayarit Hospital in Puerto Vallarta Mexico, uses a special inverted sleeve technique that helps to protect the patient from leaks and long-term weight regain by hand stitching over the surgical staple line at the end of the sleeve surgery. Gastric Sleeve is far less invasive than the full Gastric Bypass and the Mini Bypass surgery.
For weight loss, if the patient needs to lose 100 or fewer pounds, they really should consider gastric sleeve surgery, and if they need to lose between 100 and 150 pounds the Mini Gastric Bypass is a better surgical option. If the patient needs to lose more than 150 pounds typically it is still best at that point to do the full RNY Gastric Bypass surgery.
The Mini Bypass results in fat and sugar malabsorption in the body due to intestinal redirection, being harder for the body to absorb calories, nutrients, and fat, while the Gastric Sleeve procedure does not. With the Gastric Sleeve, the effect is much simpler; the surgery restricts the amount of food a patient can eat and limits the caloric consumption of meals, leading to weight loss through diet and exercise. With the sleeve surgery, the diet is possible because the hunger question is removed so it is much easier for the patient to successfully perform his or her diet and lose the weight they need to lose. IF the patient cannot follow a diet however and has no willpower, the Mini Gastric Bypass is a better option even if the patient has 100 pounds to lose as it forces the patient to lose weight with malabsorption. Both procedures result in effective treatment of comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, etc.
If patients want to know if they are a candidate for one surgery or another, it is important to visit the specialist for a medical evaluation to be able to choose the most appropriate procedure for their weight loss needs and health. Every patient is different and their goals and medical situations are different, so the decision must be considered individually and seriously after speaking with their bariatric specialist.
For more information regarding Clinics/ Hospitals and Weight Loss Options mentioned in this article:
Weight Loss Team – Bariatric Surgical Center at the CMQ Riviera Nayarit Hospital
Website: www.weightlossteam.com/
Email: info@weightlossteam.com
Telephone: Toll free 1(800) 404-9064 or + 1(818) 949-6911
