Who Is a Candidate for the Duodenal Switch?
Weight loss would be simple in an ideal world. Unfortunately, many people believe that achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is impossible. Obesity affects greater than 60% of adults in the United States alone, accounting for more than one-third of all adults, and is linked to more than 60 chronic diseases. So, who is a candidate for Duodenal Switch?
Surgical weight-loss procedures can help you lose those extra pounds while also improving your overall health. And it can get you the results you want even if nothing else has.
Dr. Carlton at LoneStar Bariatrics has been practicing in the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex for over 12 years. Here’s how the duodenal switch procedure can help if you’re extremely overweight and looking for long-term solutions.
What distinguishes the duodenal switch?
You’ve probably heard of gastric sleeve and gastric bypass procedures when it comes to bariatric surgery. These techniques produce results in two distinct ways.
Dr. Carlton reduces the size of your stomach during a gastric sleeve procedure, allowing you to eat less food. Dr. Carlton reroutes your digestive tract to bypass your stomach, allowing the food you eat to go directly into your small intestine. This reduces your food intake and alters how your body absorbs nutrients.
The duodenal switch procedure, also known as biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch (BPD/DS), combines these two procedures. Dr. Carlton first removes three-quarters of your stomach. Then he performs a more extensive bypass procedure, rerouting your digestive tract so that it bypasses the upper portion of your small intestine.
This more complex method addresses weight loss in three distinct ways:
- Limiting your food consumption
- Lowering the amount of calories and nutrients your body absorbs
- Changing the way your digestive system metabolizes food
As a result, a duodenal switch can result in more weight loss — more than 150 pounds — than sleeve or bypass surgery. Dr. Carlton also uses minimally invasive laparoscopic techniques, which result in shorter recovery times and fewer problems.
When should a duodenal switch be considered?
A duodenal switch procedure can have incredible effects in terms of reducing obesity and related illnesses such as Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. However, it is not suitable for everyone.
Dr. Carlton usually takes the following factors into account before recommending a duodenal switch:
- Having a body mass index (BMI) of 50 or higher
- A BMI of 40 or higher is associated with an increased risk of serious health problems
- A BMI of 35-39.9, as well as weight-related health issues
- A history of failed weight loss
Bariatric surgery also necessitates long-term lifestyle changes to achieve the best results. Before undergoing this procedure, it is critical to have a clear understanding of this lifelong commitment, and these changes go further than diet and exercise alone.
As previously stated, a duodenal switch surgery alters how your body takes in nutrients. You must take the recommended bariatric vitamin, mineral and protein supplements in order to prevent nutritional deficiencies after your procedures. You must also have routine lab work, in order for Dr. Carlton closely monitor your health.
Schedule a consultation at one of our convenient LoneStar Bariatrics locations today to learn more about being a candidate for duodenal switch and our other weight-loss solutions.
