If you are morbidly obese, your healthcare provider may recommend bariatric surgery. One procedure option for those who are morbidly obese is biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch (BPD/DS). It’s a complex procedure that helps you lose weight by reducing your ability to absorb calories, vitamins, and minerals.
Like other weight loss surgeries, BPD/DS is only for certain people who meet the necessary ‘requirements’ for weight loss surgery These include a body mass index of 40 or greater with serious weight-related conditions such as type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, and heart disease.
Foothills Weight Loss Surgeons Offers Duodenal Switch
We offer the Duodenal Switch (also known as the Single Anatomotic Duodenal Switch), which is a variation of the standard Duodenal Switch. The idea of the Duodenal Switch is based on the standard DS but modified to make the operation smoother for both the surgeons and patients, with fewer complications.
What You Can Expect From This Procedure
Dr. Mark Colquitt is one of our bariatric surgeons in Foothills Weight Loss Surgeons in Knoxville. Here are his answers to some of the most common questions about Duodenal Switch:
- Who is an ideal candidate for this surgery?
The ideal candidate is someone with a BMI of 50 or higher who may suffer from other health problems such as diabetes.
- How is this operation different from previous weight loss surgeries?
The Duodenal Switch has the same sleeve used in traditional bariatric surgery, but a bypass is added on to that. This allows more weight loss than the sleeve alone, and also better weight loss results than the bypass alone. The use of both results in fewer complications after the procedure.
- What can be expected immediately following surgery?
Duodenal Switch patients will stay two nights in the hospital after the procedure for monitoring. They may experience some nausea on the first day.
- What are the most common risks?
Bypassing part of the intestines decreases some of the body’s vitamins and nutrients. This can have a negative effect. For instance, if your Vitamin A is too low, you can actually experience night blindness. This is why it is very important for patients to take all of their vitamins, especially fat-soluble vitamins- A, D, E, K, to avoid side effects or malnutrition.
- What does the diet consist of after surgery?
Patients will start a liquid diet immediately once they are home from the hospital. One week after leaving the hospital, they are seen for a follow-up appointment. If they are doing well, they can then be advanced to the next phase of the diet – soft proteins. A month after surgery patients are able to start phasing some normal foods back into the diet. They need 80-100 grams of protein a day and must stay away from sodas, sweetened drinks, sugary treats, acidic foods, and high fat. The post-operation diet is mostly high protein, low carb, and low fat.
The experts at Foothills Weight Loss Surgeons in Knoxville have high expectations for the Duodenal Switch procedure. “All of the patients we’ve done are doing well and are expected to lose more weight in comparison with the other surgeries. We expect a full recovery and great results for all of the patients,” said Dr. Colquitt.
If you are considering weight loss surgery and wondering if Duodenal Switch is right for you, contact us online or call Foothills Weight Loss Surgeons at (865) 984-3413 for more information.