Laparoscopic transit bipartition

Laparoscopic
transit bipartition

Laparoscopic Transit Bipartition

LTB is a newly developed technique to not only lose weight but control metabolic conditions such as diabetes as well. This surgery is often done together with Sleeve Gastrectomy where the stomach is first made smaller by removing about 80% of its size, followed by connecting the most distal part of the small intestine to the newly formed smaller stomach. Finally, the original small intestine is rerouted to attach to this newly formed tract, creating 2 pathways or “partitions” for food to pass, hence the name.

A laparoscopic approach to surgery means using 3 tiny incisions to do the surgery (two 5 mm in length, and one 12 mm in length), as opposed to the regular approach where a large incision is made in your abdomen. The surgeon would use a specialized thin long telescope to which a camera is connected known as the Laparoscope together with some very small surgical instruments to reach the surgical area without opening up your belly too much. This means less scarring as most of these incisions are hidden, less pain during the post-operative recovery period, and fewer surgical complications. It is the approach of choice for most bariatric surgeries.

Frequently asked questions

Do I Need LTB Surgery?

Unlike other bariatric surgeries that are mainly designed to lose weight, LTB is mainly indicated for people who are obese but are mainly complaining of metabolic disorders such as diabetes. A person is obese when his Body Mass Index (BMI) – which is the ratio of your weight to your height – is more than 30. When LTB is used with other bariatric surgeries such as sleeve gastrectomy, you could both lose excess weight and control diabetes as well.

Is LTB the Only Option for Weight Loss?

As we mentioned, LTB is indicated mainly for people with BMI between 30 and 35 who also suffer from metabolic disorders such as diabetes. However, there are other bariatric surgeries to choose from which can be better for your case. Make sure to ask your surgeon about laparoscopic gastric banding, mini gastric bypass, and roux-en-Y gastric bypass.