BARIATRIC SURGERY
Lubbock Heart Hospital
Minimally Invasive Surgeries
Lubbock Heart & Surgical Hospital offers bariatric services. When it comes to weight loss surgeries and procedures, there are several different categories. Some surgeries/procedures fall into more than one category. They are as follows:
Malabsorptive Operations
Malabsorptive operations primarily work by bypassing more than half the small intestine so that there is less absorption of nutrients and calories by the body. This is combined with some sort of milder restriction of the stomach. The primary cause of weight loss through malabsorptive operations is the bypassing of the first part of the small intestine, which also seems to have a very positive metabolic effect on such conditions as diabetes and high cholesterol that can’t be explained by the malabsorption alone. The Biliopancreatic Diversion (BPD) and the Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch (BPD-DS) are the best examples. In both procedures the upper 60% of the small intestine is bypassed (does not see food anymore but is not removed). They differ in how the stomach is reduced in size and whether the pylorus (valve at the end of the stomach) is preserved or not. Malabsorptive operations result in the most weight loss with the highest success at 10 years out from surgery.
Combination Procedures
Combination procedures are operations where the stomach is made smaller and less than 50% of the small intestine is bypassed. Gastric Bypass or Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB) is the best example. In a gastric bypass surgery, a very small stomach pouch is made from the upper most part of the stomach. The remainder of the stomach and the top 10% of the small intestine is then bypassed. The bottom 90% of the small intestine is then connected to the pouch. Nothing is typically removed and the bottom of the stomach and the upper 10% of the small intestine drain by a connection lower down to join the food. The stomach and upper 10% contain important enzymes and juices that the body needs to properly digest so they are not removed. RYGB is especially good for treating people with heartburn as there is a 100% success rate with resolving acid reflux after RYGB.
Pylorus Preserving Operations
Pylorus preserving operations preserve the valve at the bottom of the stomach, or the pylorus, as part of the food channel. The pylorus has 2 functions. The first is to slow the passage of food from the stomach to the intestine. The second is to protect the intestine right after the stomach from ulcers caused by acid in the stomach. When the pylorus is preserved as is the case with some surgeries, there is less of a chance of ulcer formation. People with pylorus preserving surgeries are not restricted from taking NSAIDS. This is helpful to people that need medications for the heart, such as aspirin or medications for the joints, such as ibuprofen. The Gastric Bypass (RYGB) is not a pylorus preserving operation. The following are pylorus preserving operations/procedures:
- EBT
- Sleeve gastrectomy
- Switch
- Loop Switch
OUR FACILITY
Lubbock Heart & Surgical Hospital offers a world class surgical experience in a convenient location. At our facility, you will find some of the finest, most respected physicians and staff in the region. Lubbock Heart & Surgical Hospital is a modern facility and you won’t have to worry about a complicated maze of hospital buildings or parking hassles.