Is Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgery for You?

Gastrointestinal surgery may be the next step for people who remain severely obese after trying nonsurgical approaches. Candidates for surgery:

• BMI of 40 or more
• Life-threatening obesity-related health problem such as diabetes, severe sleep apnea, or heart disease and a BMI of 35 or more
• Obesity-related physical problems that interfere with employment, walking, or family function.
• No endocrine cause of obesity
• Absense of drug or alcohol problems
• Nonsmoker
• No uncontrolled psychological conditions
• Dedicated to life-style change and follow-up

If you fit the profile for surgery, answers to the following questions may help you decide whether weight-loss surgery is appropriate for you.   Are you:

• unlikely to lose weight successfully with nonsurgical measures, including medically supervised programs?
• well informed about the surgical procedures and the effects of treatment?
• determined to lose weight and improve your health?
• aware of how your life may change after the operation (adjustment to the side effects of the surgery, including the need to chew well and inability to eat large meals)?
• aware of the potential for serious complications, dietary restrictions, and occasional failures?
• committed to lifelong medical follow-up?

Remember: Not every sufferer is a candidate for surgery. Bariatric surgery is an elective operation and the benefits of surgery must outweigh the potential risks of surgery. There are no guarantees for any method, including surgery, to produce and maintain weight loss. Once the decision has been made to pursue surgery, treatment does not end with the operation. That is merely the beginning. Success is possible only with maximum cooperation and commitment to behavioral change and medical follow-up—and this cooperation and commitment must be carried out for the rest of your life.

Once your decision has been made to pursue surgical intervention for long-term weight loss and your medical doctors have deemed it safe you will need to be evaluated by the Bariatric team. A detailed and extensive medical and diet history as well as physical examination will be performed. There may be several tests that will need to be done in order to assess your surgical risks for complications. These may include but are not limited to Echocardiography, Stress tests, pulmonary function studies, sleep apnea studies, and endoscopy. A psychological evaluation and dietary consultation is required of all surgical candidates. In addition, you will meet with your surgeon for a comprehensive discussion of which surgery would be most appropriate for you. There will also be classes and support group meetings to attend in preparation for surgery.