Bariatric Surgery at clinics and hospitals worldwide

Bariatric Surgery abroad

Bariatric surgery refers to a set of surgical procedures aimed at weight loss that are performed when previous diets and weight loss treatments have failed and the patient suffers from obesity and its well being is considered at risk because of its weight. It is usually the best option for those patients that present a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or lower but do already suffer from diabetes, hypertension and/or other heart conditions.

Weight loss surgery is performed on the stomach and more precisely on the gastrointestinal tract in order to restrict the food intake of the patient and to modify the absorption of the substances ingested. Through different techniques the surgeon removes or narrows a section of the stomach in order to help the patient to feel full before and avoid binge eating. The most common types of bariatric surgeries are classified in gastric bypass, gastric sleeve (or vertical sleeve gastrectomy), gastric band (or lap band), and gastric balloon.

Types of Bariatric Surgery

Gastric bypass surgery, which can be referred to as Roux-en-Y, works on the food intake restriction as well as the food absorption. During this procedure the stomach is divided in two pouches, an upper and a lower one, and the intestine is then connected to both, thus avoiding the food passage in the intestine and hence avoiding the absorption of certain substances. Gastric bypass is considered as non reversible and is the most common bariatric surgery procedure, accounting for the 80% of weight loss surgeries in the US.

Vertical sleeve gastrectomy is performed by dividing in half the stomach, in order to generate a long ouch that has a sleeve shape, that then will get connected to the small intestine. The remaining section gets removed and this helps the patient to feel full sooner and less hungry faster.

The lap band surgery consists in placing a silicone band around the upper section of the stomach and the installation of a small port that will be placed under the skin. This device will allow the restriction of the food intake point and as a result will help the patient to narrow the food ingestion. It can be adjusted to make it looser if the patient feels nausea, which is a common side effect, just by adding a saline solution in the silicone band, and it can be removed when the patient will have reached its weight loss goals.

Gastric balloon is a temporary solution aimed at helping the weight loss and usually is removed after 6 months. During this treatment a scope is inserted through the patient’s throat in order to reach the stomach, a balloon is then released inside of it and then inflated in order to make the patient feel less hungry.

After surgery, the patient will be restricted initially to a liquid diet in order to allow the body to readjust during the weight loss period, and then slowly soft foods are introduced. As a result, the patients experience a considerable weight loss, the risk of cardiovascular complications is reduced, and there can be a reduction in mortality and some patients may recover from diabetes.

Which Bariatric Surgery procedures can I find abroad?

• Gastric Bypass Surgery abroad
• Sleeve Gastrectomy abroad
• Gastric Band Surgery abroad

For more information, read our Bariatric Surgery Cost Guide.