What is Type 2 Diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes is defined as a metabolic disorder characterized by high blood glucose combined with insulin resistance and relative insulin deficiency. Insulin is a necessity for the body to be able to use sugar that it consumes. Sugar is the basic fuel for cells in the body, and insulin moves the sugar from the blood to the cells.

The cause of Type 2 diabetes in people is primarily due to lifestyle factors, including a lack of physical activity, an unhealthy diet, smoking or a large amount of alcohol consumption. Obesity has been found to lead to more than half of the cases of type 2 diabetes. It has been suggested that the increase in childhood obesity between the 1960s and the 2000s may have lead to the increase in type 2 diabetes diagnoses in children and adolescents.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. More than 20 million people in the U.S. currently live with the disease. Of that number, almost six million people do not even know they have the disease.

What Are The Common Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes?

Common symptoms of type 2 diabetes include:

• Increased hunger and thirst
• Continuous fatigue
• Increased urination
• Alarming weight loss
• Blurred vision

How Can Weight Loss Surgery Help End Diabetes?

Several weight loss surgery options have been clinically found to help end diabetes in patients. In fact, the American Diabetes Association currently recommends that people with type 2 diabetes who have a body mass index (BMI) over 35 should consider bariatric surgery. Dr. Josh Roller and Dr. Yong Kwon are committed to helping our patients suffering from diabetes.

Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass is the most frequently performed weight loss surgery in the U.S. and can lead to a remission of type 2 diabetes in patients. The procedure reduces the stomach size, reduces the amount of food you can intake before feeling full, and reduces the amount of food the body will absorb, thereby limiting the number of calories the body absorbs. Studies have shown that type 2 diabetes can be reversed in up to 90% of patients, usually leading to a normal blood sugar without medication, sometimes within days of surgery.

Dr. Roller and Dr. Kwon perform this procedure laparoscopically, avoiding a large incision in the abdomen. However, an abdominal incision is sometimes necessary based on weight, body shape, previous surgery, or other factors. Click here to find out more information on Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass surgery.

Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Band Surgery

Another bariatric procedure that helps in the remission of type 2 diabetes is the adjustable gastric band approach. The laparoscopic procedure involves lacing an adjustable band around the stomach that essentially creates a small stomach pouch. As you eat, food will fill the small stomach pouch quickly, making you fill full much sooner and reducing the amount of food you eat. This procedure also increases the time it takes for the stomach to empty, making you feel full longer and reducing the sensation of hunger.

Dr. Roller and Dr. Kwon perform this procedure laparoscopically and it is the least invasive of all the surgical weight loss procedures because it does not require division or removal of any part of the stomach or intestines. Click here to find out more information on laparoscopic adjustable gastric band surgery.

Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

Studies have shown that performing a laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, the newest form of bariatric surgery, on a patient with type 2 diabetes has led to remission. The procedure reduces the size of the stomach, making you feel full after eating only small portions. Approximately 75% of the stomach is removed, leaving behind a smaller, tube-shaped stomach (sleeve). This limits the amount of food that is required to feel full. In addition, the portion of the stomach that makes the hormone Ghrelin, which is responsible for making us feel hungry, is removed.

Dr. Roller and Dr. Kwon perform this procedure laparoscopically. Advantages of the procedure include no implantation of an artificial device, no re-routing of the intestinal tract, and less frequent follow-up as compared to the lap band. Dr. Roller is a national teacher/preceptor for Covidien on the sleeve gastrectomy, teaching a course once per month to surgeons from across the country on how to perform the laparoscopic sleeve gastrecctomy. Click here to find out more information on laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy surgery.

877.445.6460

Roller Weight Loss & Advanced Surgery
1280 E. Stearns, Suite 5
Fayetteville, Arkansas 72703