Weight-Loss Laparoscopic Surgery

What is weight-loss surgery?
Weight-loss surgery can be divided into two main categories. The first is restrictive surgery where your stomach’s size is reduced and therefore, less food is allowed to go through, and directly also decreases your appetite. Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy are representatives of this type of surgery. These procedures tend to provide gentler weight loss with minimal risks of malnutrition.

The second type is mal-absorptive procedure, which involves some forms of intestinal bypass to reduce the absorption of food and nutrient. In combination with stomach stapling, the weight loss is good with small risk of malnutrition. The two main procedures in this category are gastric bypass and bilio-pancreatic diversion.

Are you a candidate for weight-loss surgery?
If you are severely obese (over weight), i.e. body mass index (BMI) of 37.5 kg/m2 or more, you are eligible for weight loss surgery to reduce your weight. If your BMI is more than 32.5 kg/m2 with obesity related co-morbidity, such as diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, high cholesterol level, back pain, and sleep apnea, you can also consider surgery to lose weight.
What is Body Mass Index (BMI)?
Body mass index is used to estimate your best weight range for your health. It is calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared (m2).

BMI = Weight (kg) / [Height (m) x Height (m)]

Classification*	BMI (kg/m2)
Underweight	<18.5
Normal range	18.5 – 22.9
Overweight at risk	23.0 – 24.9
Obese I	25.0 – 29.9
Obese II	≥ 30.0

*Western Pacific Region of WHO classification, 2000