Weight Loss Surgical Options

Milford Regional offers state-of-the-art bariatric surgical procedures for weight loss. The vertical sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass procedures are performed using minimally invasive techniques. This approach involves several small incisions rather than a large one. This means patients have less postoperative pain, fewer wound complications, and a much quicker recovery.  The gastric bypass operation is considered the "gold standard" in the United States, but the sleeve gastrectomy is the most common weight loss surgery in the Northeast.

Gastric Bypass

A smaller stomach is created and food bypasses most of the old stomach and part of the small intestine. This makes you feel full more quickly and reduces the amount of food you can eat at one time. In addition, bypassing part of the intestine changes the body’s metabolism to increase weight loss and improve some weight-related medical problems. 

Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy

A large portion of the stomach is removed and a new, smaller stomach is created in the shape of a tube. It limits the amount of food you can eat by making you feel full after eating small amounts of food.  This surgery may have metabolic advantages similar to the gastric bypass.

Robotic Surgery

In addition to choosing either the sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass surgery, patients can choose to have their surgery done robotically.  This means that the surgeon could use the new da Vinci® Xi™ robotic surgical system rather than a laparoscopic (straight stick) approach.  The advantages of using the robotic system are:

• 3-dimensional visualization for the surgeon
• Smaller incisions
• Precise movements of the instruments - which is especially helpful for complex surgery and reoperative/revisional surgery. 
• Robotic instruments provide additional degrees of movement (like a wrist) that straight stick instruments cannot do. 
• Arms of the robot apply less torque and pressure to the abdominal wall which usually will cause less pain than the traditional laparoscopic approach.

*Excess weight loss refers to the amount of weight you lose from the overweight portion of your total weight.