Which Bariatric Surgeries Cause Malabsorption?

Dr. Naim — Bariatric Surgeries, Which Ones Can Cause Malabsorption 

 Sleeve Gastrectomy and the band procedure, just like LAP-BAND or the REALIZE band, these are considered restrictive operations, meaning that basically the procedure creates a smaller stomach and just reduces the amount of calories the patient can get. Malabsorptive operation, like the biliopancreatic, the diversion that some people may be familiar with, or gastric bypass, involves bypassing a segment of small intestine. Therefore, less of what the patient eats gets absorbed. Therefore, you have a possibility of vitamin deficiency. Iron deficiency is common in people who take gastric bypass procedure.  
 
And in these operations, important for the patient to be on multi-vitamins. Not as much on the restrictive operations. Not as much on the band operation. Not as important for the Sleeve Gastrectomy. And it’s important in the Sleeve Gastrectomy to mention that not only the patient has less space to eat. Also because the stomach is removed, we know that the ghrelin hormone, which is also known as “the hunger hormone,” is markedly reduced. So there’s a secondary effect from this operation that my patients are just not hungry. And that’s why I think we have superior results compared to either banding procedures. 
 
I like to emphasize that also I have a lot of experience with these. Not every program offers the Sleeve Gastrectomy, because I work closely with the hospitals, like Tri-City Hospital, and Cedars-Sinai, we’ve been able to do close to 100 of these operations. And we had great results.