Sleep Apnea: How Weight Loss Surgery Can Help

A significant portion of the United States is overweight. Approximately 12 million of them suffer from severe obesity. Severe obesity is defined as someone who is 100 pounds or more overweight.

Being overweight can cause a large number of health issues. One issue that can develop and become progressively worse the heavier you get is sleep apnea.

What Is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a condition where your airway becomes blocked while you are sleeping. Your breathing can sometimes stop completely—for ten seconds or more—off and on as you sleep. When this happens, your oxygen levels will drop. This cycle continues throughout the night. 

The most common symptoms of sleep apnea are:

• Morning headaches
• Night sweats
• Snoring
• Frequently waking to go to the restroom
• Insomnia
• Regular daytime sleepiness
  

Untreated sleep apnea can cause sleep deprivation or a lack of deep sleep. This can lead to serious mental, physical, and emotional conditions, including weight gain.

Causes of Sleep Apnea

There is a close relationship between obesity and sleep apnea. Those who are obese have thick tissue around their neck. This, along with the natural relaxation in your neck while you sleep, can make it difficult to breathe. This leads to sleep apnea.

Other causes of sleep apnea include:

• Genetics
• Sedatives
• Smoking
• Back sleeping
• Frequent Congestion
• Abnormal Hormones - hypothyroidism or acromegaly
  

Can Sleep Apnea Be Cured?

Changing your lifestyle can potentially resolve some cases of sleep apnea. Reduction in sedative use and changing the position you sleep are two simple approaches. Losing weight is the biggest factor in sleep apnea remission. A small drop in weight, around 10%, has been shown to drop the severity of sleep apnea by 20%.

Weight Loss Surgery

One of the most effective treatments for sleep apnea is bariatric surgery. It has been shown to cause remission in approximately 85% of cases.

Patients who have undergone weight loss surgery lose 50 to 80% of extra body weight. This happens between eighteen to twenty-four months post-surgery. This allows the tissue on the neck to decrease, stopping the airway from collapsing.

Types of Surgeries to Lose Weight

There are four types of bariatric surgery.

Gastric Sleeve

The gastric sleeve is a laparoscopic (minimally invasive) procedure. The surgeon removes most of the stomach from the body. A smaller portion is left and shaped into a tube.

This surgery reduces hunger due to the decreased total volume of the stomach. It also lowers the production of ghrelin, the appetite-regulating hormone.

Gastric Bypass

The roux-en-Y gastric bypass is a laparoscopic procedure. The stomach is cut into two partitions. One partition is small and will be created into a small stomach. The second partition, called the gastric remnant, will not directly digest food but will remain in the body. This will be used to make the digestive juices that break down the food.

The small intestine is also cut and detached from the larger pouch. It is then attached to the smaller pouch. Food will then flow from the new small pouch and through the small intestine.

Gastric Band

The gastric band is a laparoscopic adjustable banding procedure. It involves implantation of a rubber-like ring, which contains an inflatable balloon. This is placed over the top of the stomach and remains in place. This is used to create a small pouch, similar to a gastric bypass.

Duodenal Switch

The duodenal switch is a laparoscopic procedure. This procedure starts with the removal of a large portion of the stomach, like the gastric sleeve. Part of the small intestine, the duodenum, is left behind—along with the valve that releases food. The middle of the intestine is closed down and the last part of the intestine is attached to the duodenum.

If you have any questions about sleep apnea or would like to discuss weight loss surgery options, call BASS Bariatric Surgery. We look forward to hearing from you today.