Duodenal Switch
- Recommended for patients with a BMI of 50 or higher
- May be performed in two stages
- Requires strict dietary and exercise guidelines, with follow-up visits
- Allows patients to lose approximately 40 percent of their starting weight
The duodenal switch is a procedure generally reserved as an option for patients with a BMI of 50 or higher. This procedure is a combination of gastric sleeve and intestinal rerouting to the bottom of the sleeve.
During a duodenal switch, 85 percent of the stomach is removed (creating a sleeve gastrectomy) and a larger section of the small intestine is bypassed than with the gastric bypass. Bile and digestive juices enter the small intestine lower down the tract, which results in additional malabsorption of calories and nutrients.
- Duodenal switch surgery is sometimes performed in two stages: stage one involves gastric sleeve surgery and stage two involves rerouting the small intestine.
- Patients lose an average of 40 percent of their initial weight.
- This procedure often leads to the strongest improvement in type 2 diabetes.
The duodenal switch has more potential than other bariatric surgeries to cause vitamin, mineral and protein deficiencies. That’s why following dietary and vitamin supplementation guidelines from our bariatric team is critical to avoid serious nutritional complications over time. Strict compliance with follow-up visits and post-operative recommendations are most important after a duodenal switch to avoid serious complications over time.
