Nicholson Clinic

With obesity at epidemic proportions across the United States and beyond, bariatric surgery is emerging as a very viable option for treating the concern. While there are many weight-loss procedures available, two in particular tend to be among the most popular: gastric bypass and the sleeve gastrectomy. Although both are identical in their goal to help people shed pounds and keep them off, there are some differences patients need to be aware of. The gastric bypass is considered the gold standard in bariatric surgery. This procedure involves the creation of a small pouch at the top of the stomach. This restricts the amount of food a person can consume. Once created, the pouch is connected directly to the small intestine, which allows food to bypass the lower stomach and the first segments of the small intestine. In doing so, the procedure limits the amount of calories the body will absorb from meals. The sleeve gastrectomy involves reducing the size of the stomach’s holding capacit...

There have been many headlines recently about the benefits bariatric surgery may have for helping people control or eliminate certain health-related concerns. From diabetes and cardiovascular disease to hypertension, the potential improvements that may be realized after weight-loss surgery are promising. New research is shedding light on another condition weight loss surgery may have profound impacts on. It seems that surgery may not only help prevent osteoarthritis if obesity is a concern, but it can also improve symptoms if the condition is already present. The study in question involved more than 27,000 adults who underwent bariatric surgery between 2006 and 2015. Researchers found that people who were able to attain a body mass index of 30 or lower within a year of having surgery reported marked improvements in many conditions. Arthritis was one of the comorbidities tracked following surgery, but it was not the specific focus of research. Clinicians behind the study say the p...