**3.3 Bariatric surgery techniques**

Nowadays a variety of surgical procedures is available for the surgical treatment of obesity. Furthermore, although primary objective of bariatric surgery is the weight loss, significant long-term amelioration or total remission of co-morbidities has been established. Bariatric surgery procedures modify the gastrointestinal track in order to reduce its volume and/or its absorptive function.

Restrictive procedures induce volume limitation and include laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (LAGB), vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG), laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), gastric bypass (GBP).

Malabsorptive procedures induce limited absorption of nutrients and include biliopancreatic diversion with (BPD-DS) or without duodenal switch (BPD).

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP), open or laparoscopic, encompasses characteristics of both types of procedures, as it provides restriction and mild- malabsorption.
