Michigan Obesity Surgery Specialists

Michigan Obesity Surgical Specialists is changing our name to Great Lakes Weight Loss!

www.GreatLakesWeightLoss.com

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Existing Patients

Offering Expertise in both Gastric Bypass and Lap-Band® Bariatric Surgery Weight Loss Solutions

Table of Contents : The Surgeries : How Does Bariatric Surgery Work?

Mechanisms of Weight Control by Surgery:
There are two main principles in bariatric surgery that promote weight loss:

Restriction
Malabsorption

The gastric bypass is a combined restrictive/malabsorptive procedure while the LAP-BAND® is solely restrictive.

Restriction refers to limiting the volume one’s stomach can hold. In both the gastric bypass and the LAP-BAND® the "stomach pouch" ranges from 10-30 ml, or on average the size of a Dixie cup.

Malabsorption is the result of bypassing a segment of small intestine thereby limiting the surface area available for the absorption of ingested nutrients. The disadvantage is that the risks of complications and side-effects grow with the lengthening of bypassed bowel. You and your surgeon must balance the risks and benefits over your lifetime with the operation you choose for control of your excess weight.

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