While diet and exercise are key to maintaining a healthy weight, there are cases in which they are insufficient in achieving adequate weight loss. Patients struggling with morbid obesity are sometimes unable, despite lifestyle modification, to lose the weight they need to lose in order to live healthy, productive lives. For people facing this type of health crisis, surgical weight loss methods, including gastric bypass surgery, are often helpful. At our weight loss surgery center, Dat T. Nguyen, M.D., performs many laparoscopic gastric bypass procedures for patients in Pleasanton, San Ramon, East Bay, and surrounding areas. If you need to lose significant weight and have been unable to do so through traditional means of diet and exercise, we invite you to schedule a consultation with our bariatric surgeon to discuss your surgical options.
Gastric bypass surgery facilitates weight loss by limiting the stomach size. Some procedures also bypass part of the stomach and small intestine so that fewer calories and nutrients are absorbed. Gastric bypass is most often appropriate for patients who have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 35 or more and/or a life-threatening illness that would be alleviated by significant weight loss; do not have complicating medical issues; have made concerted efforts at natural weight loss through diet and exercise; and are willing to continue these efforts after gastric bypass surgery. Patients from San Ramon, East Bay, and surrounding areas who want more information on their candidacy for weight loss surgery, including LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Band and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, should contact our office in Pleasanton to schedule a consultation.
Dr. Nguyen performs both LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding System surgery and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery at our office in Pleasanton. Both procedures are performed while the patient is under general anesthesia.
The LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Band surgery is a restrictive procedure, meaning that it reduces the stomach size. In this procedure, a hollow band is placed around the stomach to create a small pouch towards the top of the stomach. This reduced stomach size causes patients to feel fuller faster and longer. The band can be tightened or loosened over time, and can sometimes be removed. Unlike Roux-en-Y procedures, LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Band surgery does not require stapling of the stomach or repositioning of the small intestine.
The Roux-en-Y procedure is both malabsorptive and restrictive, meaning that it limits the absorption of calories and nutrients as well as stomach size. The Roux-en-Y technique involves stapling the stomach into two portions: a smaller upper portion (the pouch), and a larger lower portion. The pouch holds food and is connected to the small intestine so that food bypasses the lower stomach section during digestion. The small size of the pouch quickens and prolongs the patient’s feeling of fullness after eating, and the bypassing of the lower part of the stomach (and a portion of the small intestine) promotes weight loss by limiting absorption of calories and nutrients.
For appropriate candidates, Dr. Nguyen uses a laparoscopic technique that distinguishes him among gastric bypass surgery providers in the San Ramon and East Bay areas. Instead of making large incisions and exposing the entire abdomen, he inserts a tiny camera (a laparoscope) into the body through small incisions. The camera provides images of the inside of the body that guide the surgery. Patients who undergo laparoscopic surgery generally have fewer post-operative complications and a shorter recovery time.
While bariatric surgery is not a “quick fix” for obesity, it can be life-changing. Patients who adhere to lifestyle guidelines after surgery often achieve significant weight loss, typically about ten pounds per month for about 18 to 24 months after surgery. Many patients who have undergone the gastric bypass procedure at our office in Pleasanton have achieved amazing results. Visit our bariatric surgery image gallery to see their results and read their testimonials. The surgery can also be helpful for patients who have had difficulty establishing healthy dietary habits, since it diminishes a person’s ability to overeat or eat the wrong foods.
Patients who choose to undergo bariatric surgery should be aware of risks inherent to the procedure. Complications can include bleeding, post-operative infection, inflammation of the stomach lining, gallstones, and “dumping” – nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bloating, dizziness, and sweating prompted by overeating or eating the wrong foods. Patients who experience these symptoms after gastric bypass surgery should contact our Pleasanton office immediately to speak with our bariatric surgeon.
Patients should also be aware that weight loss is not achieved through surgery alone. Instead, the surgery is intended to assist a patient in altering his or her lifestyle in order to promote weight loss. Patients must adhere to strict dietary and exercise habits after weight loss surgery to achieve optimal results.
If you would like more information on surgical methods to treat morbid obesity, contact our bariatric surgeon. Dr. Dat T. Nguyen provides exceptional gastric bypass surgery to help patients from Pleasanton, San Ramon, and East Bay improve their health and enrich their lives.
For information on gastric bypass surgery, contact our practice serving Pleasanton, San Ramon, and East Bay.
Dat T. Nguyen, M.D., Inc.
5565 W. Las Positas Blvd. Ste. 360, Pleasanton, California 94588
Phone: (925) 460-3205
Fax: (925) 460-3795
Dr. Dat Tien Nguyen is a very personable and experienced colorectal and cancer surgeon....
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