Type 2 diabetes is sweeping the nation and taking out whole families. This is mainly due to eating habits that have been carried on through out generations. Processed foods, and excessive sugar are becoming common place. Combine this with a sedentary lifestyle and it’s a recipe for disaster. As the numbers climb uncontrollably people are looking for something that will cure them fast! A weight loss surgery, could give some hope to those suffering from this now common disease. Is this a quick fix or the real thing?? The surgery is known as a duodenum switch. Here’s a snippet of what the surgery is all about.
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What is a Duodenal Switch ?
The duodenal switch (DS) procedure, also known as biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch (BPD-DS) or gastric reduction duodenal switch (GRDS), is a weight loss surgery procedure that is composed of a restrictive and a malabsorptive aspect.
The restrictive portion of the surgery involves removing approximately 70% of the stomach along the greater curvature.
The malabsorptive portion of the surgery reroutes a lengthy portion of the small intestine, creating two separate pathways and one common channel. The shorter of the two pathways, the digestive loop, takes food from the stomach to the common channel. The much longer pathway, the biliopancreatic loop, carries bile from the liver to the common channel.
The common channel is the portion of small intestine, usually 75-150 centimeters long, in which the contents of the digestive path mix with the bile from the biliopancreatic loop before emptying into the large intestine. The objective of this arrangement is to reduce the amount of time the body has to capture calories from food in the small intestine and to selectively limit the absorption of fat. As a result, following surgery, these patients only absorb approximately 20% of the fat they intake (wikipedia)
Constance Larkins, 37, is a mother of five. She weighed nearly 250 pounds before having what’s called a duodenal switch at Rose Medical Center — Larkins’ weight elevated her risks for heart problems and diabetes, which led to her decision to have the surgery. “It’s not easy but I think it’s worth it,” Larkins says. “I’m not hungry. I don’t want to stuff my face.” “We’re seeing an over 80 percent success rate and it’s fantastic,” Metz says. “But the hardest thing is getting patients in the door and admitting they need some help.” Not everyone is a candidate for the duodenal switch. The real question is, could this surgery stop type 2 diabetes or is it just another gimmick?? I will admit that I have known many people that have had some sort of restriction surgery. I would say that in my personal experience, 1 in 5 tends to gain back the weight despite the surgery. The real issues for morbidly obese people stems from issues that can’t always be seen. Thought patterns that haven’t been changed, and possibly health issues that need to be addressed to help them lose. If you are considering a massive surgery such as this one… make sure you weight all you options and before going through with it. Adria
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