Weight Loss Surgery

Weight Loss Surgery 

Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for overall well-being. It helps reduce a person's risk of developing chronic diseases, such as heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and certain cancers. For people who struggle to lose weight despite exercise and a healthy diet, bariatric surgery may be the best option to achieve a healthy weight. 

What Is Bariatric Surgery? 

Weight loss surgery, also known as bariatric or metabolic surgery, is an umbrella term for procedures that modify the digestive system to limit food intake. Some types of weight loss surgery make the stomach smaller, while others alter the small intestine's structure to reduce the calories the body can absorb. Other benefits of bariatric surgery include improving how the body metabolizes fat and produces insulin. 

The most common types of bariatric surgery performed in the United States are gastric sleeve, gastric bypass and adjustable gastric band. Another less common procedure is biliopancreatic diversion with a duodenal switch.

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How Much Do You Have To Weigh To Get Bariatric Surgery? 

People with extreme obesity, characterized by having a body mass index (BMI) equal to or greater than 40 or equal to or greater than 35 with severe comorbidities, may benefit from bariatric surgery. 

BMI can be a screening tool to help diagnose the amount of fat an individual has and categorize a person's weight (underweight, healthy weight, overweight and obesity). Although BMI does not measure a person's body fat directly, it can indicate various metabolic disorders.

  • If your BMI is 18.5 to 24.9, it falls within the normal or healthy   
  • If your BMI is 25.0 to 29.9, it falls within the overweight   
  • If your BMI is 30.0 or higher, it falls within the obese   

Following the recommended diet and exercising after bariatric surgery is essential to keeping most of the weight off in the long term. Regular medical follow-ups are necessary for people who undergo bariatric surgery throughout their lives. While bariatric surgery is considered safe, it does have risks, similar to other types of surgery. It is essential to consult with your physician to help you decide on the best procedure and weigh the risks and benefits of weight loss surgery. 

Weight loss surgery may be an option for adults with a body mass index (BMI) equal to or greater than 40, or equal to or greater than 35 with serious health problems related to obesity. Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding may be an option for people with a BMI of 30 or more who have at least one serious obesity-related health problem. Weight loss surgery is considered safe, but like any surgery, it does have risks. Consult with your physician about the risks and benefits of weight loss surgery. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Overall, most patients experience an improved quality of life and better health. Patients with diabetes often require fewer medications. Bariatric surgery also aids in controlling blood pressure and addressing joint problems.

When patients lose more than 100 pounds through any method, excess skin may develop, necessitating its removal by a skilled plastic surgeon. We will recommend an experienced plastic surgeon for this procedure. 

After surgery, we have a diet plan starting with liquids and advancing to soft food over the first few months to aid stomach healing. 

Since we use a minimally invasive approach for surgery, most patients recover quickly from surgery and are admitted for one night’s stay. We make sure you are doing well before you are discharged from the hospital. 

Robotic surgery enables precise surgical techniques with improved visualization, aiming to facilitate patients' smooth recovery. 

We understand that bariatric surgery is not suitable for everyone. We offer medical weight loss and nutritional counseling. It's crucial to be part of a supervised weight loss program with healthcare providers who can monitor your overall health and ensure that any medication is being used safely. 

Deciding on the most appropriate surgery is crucial. This decision is made jointly with the surgeon after discussing the risks and benefits. 

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