But study finds so-called 'duodenal switch' procedure also linked to more complications
WebMD News from HealthDay
By Alan Mozes
HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, Feb. 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- A less-popular type of weight loss surgery might actually lead to more weight loss than gastric bypass -- the currently favored form of obesity surgery. But, the trade-off seems to be more complications, new research suggests.
A small comparative analysis found that a procedure called biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch (or simply "duodenal switch") seems to lead to greater weight loss than traditional gastric bypass surgery. In addition, duodenal switch patients had a bigger drop in cholesterol, triglycerides and blood sugar levels.
"Five years after surgery, the average reductions in weight were 41 kilograms [90 pounds] after gastric bypass and 66 kilograms [145 pounds] after duodenal switch," said study co-author Dr. Torsten Olbers, an assistant professor of surgery at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden.
But "patients who underwent duodenal switch also had more subsequent surgical procedures related to the initial operation, and more hospital admissions for nutritional complications, compared to patients who underwent gastric bypass," Olbers added.
The study findings were published in the Feb. 4 online edition of JAMA Surgery.
According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, gastric bypass is currently considered the gold standard of weight loss (or "bariatric") procedures, and is the most common such surgery. It involves dividing and reconnecting portions of both the stomach and the small intestine to create a smaller stomach pouch, while re-directing the food absorption pathway.
By contrast, the duodenal switch procedure entails the removal of a portion of the stomach and bypassing a large portion of the small intestine, the society explained.
To explore the pros and cons of each, the study team focused on 60 patients aged 20 to 50. Their average weight was around 355 pounds, according to the study. That translates to an average body mass index (BMI) of between 50 and 60. Anyone with a BMI in excess of 40 is considered to be severely obese, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
About half the patients underwent standard gastric bypass surgery, while the other half underwent the duodenal procedure. In the end, 55 patients were tracked for five years.
source : Less Commonly Used Obesity Surgery Tied to More Weight Loss
