Improved Health Outcomes Associated with Gastric Bypass Surgery

Posted: May 24 in Obesity and your Health by

The latest research shows gastric bypass surgery may have more health benefits than other forms of weight loss surgery. Along with controlling weight, benefits of gastric bypass surgery include improved blood sugar regulation resulting in a decrease in diabetes in patients who have this surgery. Quality of life is also improved more for patients that undergo this form of bariatric surgery than those that pursue a sleeve gastrectomy or a Lap-band procedure. This is useful news for patients in Ft. Myers and Naples, Florida, who are considering pursuing weight loss surgery in the near future.

One research study looked at a group of 60 moderately obese patients with Type 2 diabetes. Half of the overweight group received gastric bypass surgery, while the other half underwent sleeve gastrectomy. Patients in the bypass group had better weight loss and significantly higher remissions of their Type 2 diabetes.

In a second study, researchers compared two groups of morbidly obese patients. One group of 100 people received lap band surgery, while the second group of 100 patients had gastric bypass surgery. Characteristics of the two groups were matched for body mass, age, diabetes incidence, sex and race. Several health outcomes were then compared in the two groups.

Weight loss was significantly greater in the bypass group. Over 80 percent of the bypass patients lost more than 40 percent of their extra weight, while only 31 percent of the lap band patients achieved this. The rate of complications was similar between the two groups. Although the bypass patients had more in the first month after surgery, the incidence of repeat surgery was higher in the Lap-band group.

Both groups had the same number of patients with Type 2 diabetes. Of the gastric bypass patients, 76 percent showed improvement or complete resolution of the disease. The Lap-band patients had only a 50 percent improvement or remission rate.

This study shows that gastric bypass is a very successful type of bariatric surgery, but other forms of bariatric surgery, such as the Lap-band and sleeve gastrectomy, also boast many of their own benefits.

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