KIMS offers a number of different weight loss surgeries and choosing the right procedure depends a lot on patient's goals and current health as well as the weight loss consultant's preference.

Restrictive surgeries work by physically restricting the size of the stomach and slowing down digestion. The smaller the stomach, the less you can eat. The less you eat, the more weight you lose. Malabsorptive surgeries on the other hand, are more invasive surgeries that work by changing how you take in food. In addition to restricting the size of the stomach, these surgeries physically remove or bypass parts of your digestive tract, which makes it harder for your body to absorb calories.

In Bariatric surgery, weight loss is usually achieved by reducing the size of the stomach with an implanted medical device (gastric banding) or through removal of a portion of the stomach (sleeve gastrectomy or biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch) or by resecting and re-routing the small intestines to a small stomach pouch (gastric bypass surgery).

Adjustable Gastric Banding

Is among the least invasive weight loss treatments. This surgery uses an inflatable band to squeeze the stomach into two sections: a smaller upper pouch and a larger lower section. The two sections are still connected; it's just the channel between them is very small, which slows down the emptying of the upper pouch. Gastric banding physically restricts the amount of food you can take in at a meal. There are several brands of adjustable gastric bands available. They include LAP-BAND and REALIZE.

Sleeve Gastrectomy

Is another form of restrictive weight loss surgery. In the operation, which is usually done with a laparoscope, about 75% of the stomach is removed. What remains of the stomach is a narrow tube or sleeve, which connects to the intestines.

Gastric Bypass Surgery (Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass)

Combines both restrictive and malabsorptive approaches. It can be done as either a minimally invasive or open surgery. In the operation, the surgeon divides the stomach into two parts, sealing off the upper section from the lower. The surgeon then connects the upper stomach directly to the lower section of the small intestine. Essentially, the surgeon is creating a shortcut for the food, bypassing a section of the stomach and the small intestine. Skipping these parts of the digestive tract means that fewer calories get absorbed into the body.

Biliopancreatic Diversion

Is essentially a more drastic version of a gastric bypass, in which part of the stomach -- as much as 70% -- is removed, and even more of the small intestine is bypassed. A somewhat less extreme version of this weight loss surgery is called biliopancreatic diversion with a duodenal switch or "the duodenal switch." While still more involved than a gastric bypass, this procedure removes less of the stomach and bypasses less of the small intestine. It also reduces the risk of dumping syndrome, malnutrition, and ulcers, which are more common with a standard biliopancreatic diversion.