Multidisciplinary Clinic of Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery

Weight Reduction Procedures

Laparoscopic Adjustable

Gastric Banding (LAGB)

Laparoscopic Sleeve

Gastrectomy

Laparoscopic Gastric

Bypass

Intragastric Balloon

(IGB) Program

Risk of Surgery

Who Need Surgery

Choice of Procedures

Metabolic Surgery

Life after Surgery

Weight Reduction Procedures

Journey of weight reduction require a lot of determination and efforts. In selective group of patients who fail to lose weight through traditional weight loss methods, invasive weight reduction procedure can provide an alternative and perhaps the last resort in controlling their weight and alleviate their co-existing medical problems.

The Department of Surgery of CUHK is a pioneer in the development of bariatric surgery in Hong Kong. Since 2001, we have introduced a variety of weight control procedures, including intragastric balloon, laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, laparoscopic gastric bypass operation and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, in the region. Through a multidisciplinary approach among surgeons, endocrinologist, dietitians, psychiatrists and nurses, these invasive bariatric procedures provide a more effective ways to control the weight problem of the obese people.

CUHK introduces various bariatric treatments to Hong Kong
中大引入各種減肥手術

BARIATRIC SURGERY

Weight reduction surgery is the most effective method to achieve sustainable weight loss among patients with morbid obesity. These procedures are not for cosmesis but for prevention of the pathologic consequences of morbid obesity. After successful weight reduction, some of obesity-related medical conditions (e.g. hypertension, diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea) will expect to be improved. However, weight-reduction surgery carries potential operative risk and it should be consider as the last resort after failure of previous non-surgical weight reduction treatment.

How it works?

1.	Restrictive Procedures Restrictive procedures involve creating a small stomach pouch, which limits the amount of food patients can eat. The smaller stomach pouch fills quickly, which helps patients feel satisfied with less food. Examples of restrictive procedures include adjustable gastric banding and sleeve gastrectomy.
2.	Maladsorptive Procedure For malabsortive procedures, the surgeon re-arranges the small intestine so that food skips a portion of it. The small intestine absorbs calories and nutrients from food, and avoiding part of it means that some calories and nutrients are not absorbed. However, malabsorptive procedures is associated with more nutritional problems afterwards and most surgeons will perform combined restriction with limited mal-absorption procedure to reduce these nutritional problem. Example of mal-absorptive procedure include Biliopancreatic Diversion (BPD) and BPD with Duodenal Switch operation.
3.	Combined Procedures Certain procedures such as gastric bypass surgery use a combination of restriction and malabsorption. During this procedure, the surgeon creates a small stomach pouch first. The surgeon then attaches the small intestine directly to the stomach pouch. This allows food to bypass a large portion of the small intestine, which absorbs calories and nutrients. The smaller stomach pouch causes patients to feel fuller sooner and eat less food; bypassing a portion of the small intestine means the patient’s body absorbs fewer calories. Example of restrictive procedures include Roux-en Y gastric bypass and Mini-gastric bypass.