There are many weight loss surgeries available to take part in when you find yourself overweight. The duodenal switch is a weight loss surgery in which you go through a procedure that induces weight loss by a sleeve gastrectomy and intestinal bypass.
During this procedure, you will have 60-70 percent of your stomach removed by the surgeon. This will change the shape of your stomach to more of a tube shape.
From here the surgeon then divides your lower intestine further down than one would get with a gastric bypass so that two thirds or more of your intestine is bypassed.
The final step of the duodenal switch surgery leaves your body with a small amount of intestine where food and digestive enzymes meet.
What to Expect During a Duodenal Switch Surgery
This procedure combats weight loss in two ways, using the restrictive component of a weight loss surgery by reducing your stomach size.
The stomach keeps a portion of itself that is necessary to regulate food releasing to your intestines, this part is called the pyloric valve. This valve is usually removed with other weight loss surgery procedures.
Next, the duodenal switch combats weight loss using the malabsorptive component by minimising how much of your food and digestive enzymes meet up within the intestines.
This is done by creating a bypass in your lower intestine and cutting that part of your digestive system down to a size of about two thirds or more of its original size.
The duodenal switch surgery can be completed with a small incision performed by laparoscopically or a larger incision.
The best bet is to discuss your options with your surgeon beforehand so that they can advise you on which way this weight loss surgery will be completed.
Obviously, a small incision may mean less healing time for your stomach’s incision on the outer part of your body.
What to Expect After a Duodenal Switch Surgery
After having this weight loss surgery completed you can expect to have the incision in your stomach where the surgeon opened you up to be a bit sore.
This soreness can last for several weeks after the duodenal switch surgery has been completed.
During your first few weeks after this weight loss surgery, you can expect to lose a significant amount of weight.
Don’t be alarmed if your weight loss decreases after 12 months, as the first 12 months is when a majority of your excess weight will fall off.
What Are the Duodenal Switch Complications?
For the most part you may experience gas and diarrhea at first, but in some major cases you can get a hernia, bleeding internally and even infection.
While some of these complications are rare, it’s important to pay attention to the signs of your body after having a duodenal switch completed for weight loss.
How Much Weight Do I Lose After the Duodenal Switch Surgery?
Most patients can expect to lose approximately 60-80 percent of their bodies extra weight mass within a two year period.
This weight loss surgery has been beneficial to those who’ve experienced it, and if done by a surgeon who is familiar with this procedure and completes the duodenal switch surgery on a regular basis then there is a higher success rate for weight loss after this procedure with few if any complications.
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