Bariatric surgeons are general surgeons who have undergone specialized training to surgically treat obesity. Obesity affects nearly 15 million individuals in America. Obesity can be due to genetics, a poor diet and sedentary lifestyle or a complex interplay between hormones in the gut that dictate how the body processes food and whether it leads to weight gain.
While losing weight naturally, with diet and exercise, is always the best way to go, up to 90 % of obese individuals don’t succeed at losing weight this way. If they do, they may lose weight only to re-gain the weight after a short period of time. For these individuals, bariatric surgery is an excellent option and provides long-term health benefits. Bariatric surgery can help restore a healthy weight and reduce the chance of high blood pressure and high cholesterol, both of which raise the risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke. Reducing weight can also cure obstructive sleep apnea and even, in many cases, diabetes. higher life expectancy, better health, and higher quality of life
Bariatric surgery is usually recommended and covered by insurance for individuals with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 40 or a BMI over 30 with any obesity-related health condition. Expectations for weight loss among individuals who undergo surgery can me dramatic, with people losing 60 – 70% of their excess body weight over the period of a year. Typically, after a year, the focus shifts to maintaining a healthy weight.
Common Conditions Treated by Bariatric Surgeons
Prior to visiting a bariatric surgeon, individuals have usually tried a variety of diet strategies and weight loss medications and have still been unsuccessful in losing weight and keeping it off. This is when a bariatric surgeon can step in and help. At SurgOne, Dr. Conner specializes in bariatric surgery and will discuss each patient’s personal situation and review the treatment options. He will tailor a customized plan that will start with meeting a nutritionist and a psychologist in preparation for surgery. There are two surgical procedures that are used by bariatric surgeons to treat obesity and Dr Conner will help determine which treatment is right for each individual:
Gastric sleeve – This life-changing laparoscopic surgery is minimally invasive and easy to recover from. It removes approximately 2/3 of the stomach. This reduction in stomach size restricts the amount of food that individuals can eat after surgery. As the appetite declines, patients feel less hungry and take in less calories, which leads to dramatic weight loss. This surgery provides excellent weight loss; however, weight re-gain can be an issue if the stomach stretches over time. Most obese individuals are candidates for this type of surgery unless they have severe acid reflex.
Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB) – This type of gastric bypass surgery is also a minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery. The surgeon bypasses the small intestine and creates a small pouch from the stomach, about the size of an egg, and connects that new stomach directly to a shortened segment of the small intestine. Following this surgery, food bypasses your stomach and most of the small intestine which changes the way that the body absorbs food and calories and alters the effect of hormones in the gut. As with all gastric bypass procedures, surgery is the beginning of the weight loss journey and individuals must be committed to changing the way they eat and their lifestyle.
Recovering from Bariatric Surgery
Because bariatric surgery is done laparoscopically, it is minimally invasive, and patients have a relatively quick recovery. They can expect to spend one night in the hospital and leave the following day. Following surgery, bariatric patients are on a liquid diet for the two weeks following surgery. The doctor will prescribe vitamins and staying hydrated is very important. Patients can expect several follow-up visits to advance their diet to soft food and track weight loss.
Bariatric surgery is life-changing and can give people their health mobility back and allow them to live a full and active life again.