Facts About Duodenal Switch Surgery In Mexico

By Jocelyn Davidson


The duodenal switch surgery is a combination of mal absorptive and restrictive surgery for weight loss. It decreases the quantity of food that one can take and the quantity of calories which get absorbed and utilized by the body. With this surgical procedure, there is creation of a stomach pouch that is moderately sized, plus some part of the ileum is bypassed. For people that are considering duodenal switch surgery in Mexico, it is important to understand what is involved.

The surgery is performed either in a hospital or surgical center. To begin with, half-inch long incisions are made in stomach areas as well as in the middle of the abdomen. These incisions are made such that the stomach remains attached to the first segment of the small intestine. The first segment of the small intestine is known as the duodenum. It is then separated from other sections of the ileum.

What follows is the attachment of the duodenum to lower parts of the small intestine. As this is done, most of the first and second segments of the ileum are bypassed. When this is done, the surgical doctor affirms that there are no leakages before he or she withdraws the instruments used. The incisions are then closed using either sterile tapes or absorbable sutures.

The results of duodenal switching are excellent. Patients will be able to lose 70 to 80 percent of the excess weight within a period of two years. On the downside, patients are likely to contract nutritional deficiency diseases than would be the case if they used other weight loss surgeries. As a result, they will have to keep using nutritional supplements for their entire life. These supplements include vitamins and minerals.

In the long term, the majority of patients that opt for the procedure will have lasting outcomes. Since the body cannot absorb all the food that is taken in, one does not need to consider lifestyle changes as with the other forms of bariatric surgery. Further, patients can eat larger food portions compared to those that go for the other restrictive surgeries. This allows for greater satisfaction in patients.

The benefits of the procedure are many. In addition to the main benefit which is weight loss, patients will have better eating quality due to a more normal stomach. Since the stomach portion with the hunger stimulating hormone is removed, appetite and hunger are reduced. Persons that take anti-inflammatory drugs will have no fear of contracting ulcers. In the event of mal absorptive complications, the intestinal bypass can be partially reversed.

Among the disadvantages, there is increased chance of serious diarrhea, gas and foul smelling fecal matter. When there is significant mal-absorption, one is likely to suffer from anemia, deficiency of proteins and vitamins and metabolic bone diseases. These affect 10 percent to 15 percent of patients. When carbohydrates are taken in excess, one may suffer from crampy abdominal pain, insufficient loss of weight or long term regain of weight.

Being a surgical procedure, there are some expected complications. Some of them are post-operative nausea, duodenal leak, fistula and small bowel obstruction. The complications are however not common especially when the procedure is done professionally.




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