Morbid obesity is a serious condition that puts a person at the risk of developing serious medical conditions. An individual is considered to be morbidly obese, if he/she has the Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or more, or weighs 100 pounds over his/her ideal body weight. If a person has a BMI of 35 or more, and he/she is affected by at least two other serious health problems, and he/she is not able to lose weight under any circumstance, then he/she is a suitable candidate for weight loss surgery. As with other surgeries, certain risks are associated with these surgeries, but these also offer several health benefits. Surgical Procedures for Morbid Obesity People who are morbidly obese are certainly at an increased risk of developing back pain, joint problems, cardiovascular problems, etc. There are certain surgical procedures that can eliminate some, if not all of these problems. Here's some information about some of the surgical procedures. Gastric Bypass In this surgery, a small portion of the stomach is separated and stapled. The food bypasses the first part of the small intestine (duodenum), and directly enters the jejunum. This causes malabsorption of fat, which in turn will prevent the person from gaining weight. The main advantage of this surgery is that more weight is lost. In addition, nearly all the health problems caused by the excess weight are resolved by the surgical procedure. Though a gastric bypass surgery can help a person attain his/her ideal weight, certain risks are associated with this surgery. These include stretching of the stomach due to not following the recommended dietary guidelines. There's also the issue of malabsorption of essential nutrients, as the food bypasses the duodenum. Though the risk of infection is minimal in case of laparoscopic surgery, the possibility of infection cannot be completely ruled out. Some of the other risks include bleeding, blood clot formation, decreased absorption of nutrients, and intestinal obstruction. Lap Band® Adjustable Gastric Banding The aim of this surgery is to restrict the food intake. In this surgery, a gastric band device is placed around the upper section of the stomach, from where the food enters from the esophagus. The band is connected to a port under the skin in the abdomen. The port is used to add saline, which tightens the band, thereby reducing the size of the size of stomach. The reduced size of the stomach gives rise to the feeling of fullness, which in turn lowers the food intake. Weight loss is achieved, as only a controlled amount of food can be allowed into the stomach. As far as the benefits of this surgery are concerned, it is a minimally-invasive procedure that leaves the organs intact. There is no malabsorption of nutrients or food or water. There's no re-routing of any digestive organs, which is why there's no chance for post-surgical bleeding or intestinal obstruction. If required, this procedure can be reversed. However, there are some risks associated with this surgery. The lap band® is a foreign object and there is a possibility for it to move, slip, or affect the organs. Nausea, vomiting, and constant hunger are also possible. On a concluding note, the aforementioned surgical procedures offer health benefits, but certain risks are involved as well. The procedure must be performed if the benefits outweigh the risks. Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.