Bariatric Surgery in Ottawa: Methods and Results

The operation involves removing most of the stomach and turning it into a narrow tube. As a result portions shrink a lot and the hunger hormone ghrelin falls, so the patient reaches fullness sooner and eats less.

Effectiveness: fits patients with a BMI of 35 to 45. They lose 60–70% of excess weight on average.

Specifics: bypass operations give a more durable result. Should the diet be ignored, especially with high-calorie drinks and liquid food, weight can return.

At the top of the stomach the surgeon makes a small 50–70 ml pouch, linking it directly to the small intestine. Intake of food is restricted and calorie absorption falls, since food passes through less of the gut.

Effectiveness: with a BMI over 45–50 and type 2 diabetes, this is the “gold standard”. Excess weight loss is as high as 75–85%.

Specifics: the result is more durable than with other bariatric techniques. Diabetes, hypertension and similar related conditions often enter remission. The changed digestive anatomy means lifelong vitamin and mineral supplements.

This is a refined form of the classic bypass. Unlike the standard technique, the surgeon makes just one connection (anastomosis) between the small stomach and the small intestine. The simpler approach is gentler on the patient and requires less recovery time.

Effectiveness: comparable with the classic Roux-en-Y bypass: patients drop up to 75–80% of excess weight.

Specifics: the operation is shorter and recovery faster. Reversal is technically possible, but a single anastomosis means a risk of bile reflux.

As a modern combined technique, SADI-S brings together the benefits of sleeve gastrectomy and intestinal bypass. Its two stages: making the stomach into a narrow tube, then rerouting the small intestine so the majority of it is excluded from active digestion.

Effectiveness: one of the most potent bariatric operations; excess weight loss hits 80–90% and the result is long-lasting.

Specifics: a reduced stomach without its ghrelin-producing zone means less appetite, and diverting food past part of the intestine restricts calorie absorption. It is suited to super obesity (BMI over 50), severe type 2 diabetes, or a second stage after an ineffective sleeve.