The concept of gastrointestinal surgery to control
obesity grew out of results of operations for cancer or severe ulcers
that removed large portions of the stomach or small intestine.
Gastrointestinal surgery for obesity, also called
bariatric surgery, alters the digestive process. The operations promote
weight loss by closing off parts of the stomach to make it smaller.
Restrictive operations serve only to restrict
food intake and do not interfere with the normal digestive process.
To perform the surgery, doctors create a small pouch at the top of the
stomach where food enters from the esophagus. Initially, the pouch holds
about 1 ounce of food and later expands to 2-3 ounces. The lower outlet
of the pouch usually has a diameter of only about ¾ inch. This small
outlet delays the emptying of food from the pouch and causes a feeling
of fullness.
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