Are You A Candidate for Bariatric Surgery?
You may qualify as a candidate for bariatric surgery if you have
a body mass index of 40+ (approximately 80-100 pounds overweight),
or if your body mass index is 35+ and you have been diagnosed
with diabetes or other serious obesity-related conditions such
as heart disease or severe sleep apnea. Having obesity-related
physical problems that significantly interfere with employment,
physical mobility or social function may also make you a possible
candidate for surgery.
Even if you meet the above criteria, you must also commit to
making lifestyle changes which will ensure the success of your
surgery. These include 1) making healthy diet and exercise habits
a priority in your life, and 2) a long-term adherence to the guidelines
and follow-up recommended by your surgeon. Most patients find
participation in a post-operative support group beneficial. What is Bariatric Surgery?
Gastric Banding:
This is considered a purely "restrictive" procedure.
It decreases the amount of food you can eat. We perform the
Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding (Lap Band) which is a much
more durable procedure than the other forms of banding procedures
done in years past. The Verticle Banded Gastroplasty used staples
to create a small pouch; these staples had a high incidence of
"coming loose" and in essence reversing the procedure
allowing weight regain. The Lap-Band completely encircles the
upper portion of the stomach creating a small pouch and avoids
using staples. Also the Lap-Band is adjustable after surgery
allowing your surgeon to provide more or less restriction
according to your weight loss.
Gastric Bypass:
This type of operation is both "restrictive" and
"malabsorptive". It creates a small pouch decreasing the
amount of food one is able to eat and also "bypasses" a
portion of the small intestine leading to decreased absorption of
the calories and nutrients eaten. This currently is the most
common operation performed for weight loss in the United States.
The weight loss is typically faster with this procedure when
compared to the Lap-Band but does require more rigorous vitamin
supplementation and is not "adjustable" post surgery.
What is Laparoscopic Surgery?
Laparoscopic surgical methods are less invasive,
requiring smaller incisions than traditional surgery. Once these
incisions are made, a laparoscope (a small fiber optic tube connected
to a video camera) is inserted. The laparoscope provides the surgeons
with a magnified view of the patient's internal organs on a television
screen in the operating room. Laparoscopic technique is used for
other types of surgery (such as 'laparoscopic cholecystectomy'
for gallbladder and 'laparoscopic appendectomy') in addition to
bariatric surgery because patients typically recover faster and
experience less pain.
Find Out More About Bariatric Surgery:
For more information about obesity and bariatric surgery, you
may click on the links below.
Bariatric
Support Group At Trinity Medical center
Weight
Loss Surgery Information
American Society for Bariatric
Surgery (ASBS)
American Society of Bariatric
Physicians
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