The Advantages And Risks Of Gastric Bypass And Lap Band Surgery

Responsible for a high percentage of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes, obesity is a significant and growing problem in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the last 20 years, the incidence of obesity has increased dramatically, with 24.8 percent of California residents suffering from the condition, explains a lawyer in the state. Consequently, many Americans have resorted to extreme measures to lose weight. Gastric bypass and lap band are two surgeries that have become popular in recent years. Unfortunately, however, the advantages of such procedures do not always outweigh the risk of injury and medical complications.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines obesity as a range of weight that is greater than what is generally considered healthy for a person’s height. An individual’s body mass index, BMI, is generally used to determine if he or she is underweight, healthy, overweight, or obese. For example, an adult with a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight, while one who has a BMI of 30 or higher would be classified as obese. For example, a person who is 5’9’’ and weighs 203 pounds would have a BMI of 30 or higher and be considered obese.

In this country, approximately 33 percent of the population has a body mass index over 30, according to the CDC. Moreover, about five percent of Americans have a BMI of 40 or more, making them morbidly obese. While surgery can help people lose weight and the conditions associated with obesity like heart disease, the potential for complications can outweigh the benefits.

Although gastric bypass is the most frequently performed weight loss surgery in the country, people must meet certain requirements to qualify for the surgery: a person must either have a BMI ranging from 35 to 39.9 and a serious weight-related health problem or a BMI of 40 or higher. Roux-en-Y, one of the most common types of bypass surgery, entails stapling the stomach into a small pouch with a passage for food to bypass a section of the small intestine.

While studies have shown that patients lose weight more quickly with gastric bypass surgery—a year to a year-and-a-half as opposed to two to three years with the lap band—the procedure is more invasive. Complications can prove deadly. In one case, a father of four died three weeks after the surgery. Authorities ruled that abscess, pneumonia, and a pulmonary embolism were the cause. According to the Mayo Clinic, pneumonia and blood clots in the legs resulting in pulmonary embolism are two risks associated with the surgery. The personal injury lawyer who represented the decedent’s wife in a lawsuit against the surgeon and the hospital stressed the importance of researching the surgeon’s qualifications and safety record.

The risk of complication accompanying the lap band is significantly lower than other forms of weight loss surgery, according to the Center For The Treatment of Obesity at the University of California, San Diego. This is in part because the procedure is less invasive. The Center asserts that the most common problem is a change in the size of the stomach pouch that is isolated above the band. Reflux vomiting, difficulty swallowing, and dehydration are among other complications patients have suffered.

While weight-loss surgery may improve some of the health conditions associated with obesity, it does carry its own risks. People considering such procedures should first research the advantages and risks, as well as the background of the surgeon and the hospital.

By: Larry Drexel

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Larry Drexel is a Public Relations manager. To obtain free, informative books or articles he suggests visiting California personal injury lawyer.