Bariatric Procedures Explained
There are several types of bariatric procedures available for weight loss. One type is known as restrictive bariatric surgery. This procedure reduces the size of your stomach but does not change your digestive process. Another type are called predominantly malabsorptive procedures, which also reduce your stomach size. Malabsorption procedures shrink the stomach and bypass the duodenum and sometimes the jejunum. Malabsorption means fewer calories are taken in by your body.
Restrictive Bariatric Surgery
Restrictive bariatric surgeries include Adjustable Gastric Banding (AGB) and Vertical Banded Gastroplasty (VBG). These procedures do not alter your digestive system, however they do reduce the amount of food you can ingest. After the surgery, a person is only able to eat about one cup of food at a sitting.
If you eat more then the recommended amount you will probably throw up and also might stretch your new stomach, which will cancel out the effects of the surgery. Vertical Banded Gastroplasty is also known as stomach staple surgery.
Adjustable Gastric Banding is known by many as the Lap Band. The advantages of the lap banding are fewer complications than other bariatric procedures. The drawbacks are slower weight loss and also the fact that you must not have other health complications in order to be approved for lap-banding.
Predominantly Malabsorptive Bariatric Surgery
Predominantly malabsorptive procedures reduce the size of the stomach but focus primarily on creating malabsorption. One such surgery is called the Biliopancreatic diversion also known as the Scopinaro procedure. This type of surgery is rarely used now days due to the high risks of malnutrition and has been replaced by the Duodenal Switch. In this procedure, the surgeon blocks off part of the stomach, thereby creating a smaller stomach. The digestive system is thus altered. This reduces the amount of food that can be ingested and also calorie absorption, but within a few months, a patient can resume eating as they did before.
Malabsorptive Bariatric Surgery
Malabsorptive bariatric procedures work by reducing the size of the stomach and effectively bypassing the duodenum and sometimes also the jejunum. Malabsorptive Bariatric Surgeries include Roux-en-Y, commonly called gastric bypass surgery, the Duodenal Switch, the Fobi Pouch, and Biliopancreatic Diversion.
New Bariatric Procedures
One new procedure uses the StomaphyX™ device, which allows the bariatric surgeon to perform the procedure without any external or internal incisions. This new weight loss surgery technique is available for those people who have had previous gastric bypass surgery but are regaining weight and want an alternative to invasive weight loss surgery. In most cases, the StomaphyX™ procedure can be performed as outpatient surgery.
Another new bariatric surgery called POSE (Primary Obesity Surgery, Endoscopy) is said to be incision-less. The POSE bariatric procedure uses a set of endoscopic surgery tools and a flexible endoscope to see the stomach. The scope is inserted through the mouth and then surgery tools grasp the stomach tissue and employ suture anchors to create several tissue folds in the stomach wall to reduce its capacity to hold food.
Does Insurance Cover Bariatric Surgery?
Medicare currently reimburses for bariatric procedures on a regional basis and is the primary payer for approximately 20% of all procedures performed. There are procedure reimbursement codes for bariatric surgery with prior authorization. However, some weight loss surgeries are considered cosmetic and likely won’t be covered by your insurance.
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