The Duodenal Switch

The most powerful weight loss tool in existence is also the most effective treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus. The Duodenal Switch is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that combines the restrictive power of a sleeve gastrectomy with the malabsorptive power of the gastric bypass, all while preserving the valve at the bottom of the stomach to maintain long term weight loss.

The Duodenal Switch has been around since the 1980’s; however, Dr. Metz is the first, and currently the only, surgeon to perform it in Colorado. One of the advantages of the DS is preservation of the pylorus (the valve at the bottom of the stomach), which both minimizes dumping syndrome (facial redness, abdominal pain, blood sugar irregularities) and prolongs the amount of time food stays in the stomach, giving a longer sensation of fullness, or satiety. Another advantage is that the type of bypass performed in a DS (duodenum to ileum), significantly limits the amount of fat that is absorbed from the diet. Additionally, the malabsorptive component of the DS is fully reversible, as the small intestine is re-routed, not removed.

Dr. Metz is the first bariatric surgeon in the region to offer the Laparoscopic Duodenal Switch!