What to Know Before Receiving Weight Loss Surgery, From the Bariatric Surgeon Team in Houston, TX
Obesity has been a growing concern in the United States for
several years now, driving more and more Americans to turn to bariatric surgery
to help them lose the excess weight. Across the country, nearly 200,000
individuals now receive bariatric (weight loss) surgery. The bariatric surgeon team at Houston’s UT MIST Center for Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery explain what you need to know if you are considering undergoing bariatric
surgery.
First and foremost, bariatric surgeons want potential
candidates to understand that this type of surgery is not a “cure” for obesity,
but in fact simply a tool that can help patients in their own efforts to
control their disease.
UT MIST bariatric surgeons emphasize that patients must
carefully follow all pre- and post-surgical instructions, as well as adhere
strictly to the healthy diet and fitness regimen laid out by their doctor or
nutritionist to maintain their results long-term.
When combined with the appropriate eating and exercising, an
effectively performed surgery by a qualified bariatric surgeon can help people
live longer, more comfortable, and more satisfying lives.
A bariatric surgeon typically operates on patients who have
had little to no continual success with lifestyle modifications alone,
and have a BMI (body mass index) of 35 or higher while also demonstrating that
they also from one or more obesity-related medical conditions (also this latter
requirement is often waived if the patient has a BMI of 40 or higher).
A responsible bariatric surgeon will also consider whether
the patient has a sound understanding of what the experience will entail, as
well as a relatively healthy mental state.
While patients may experience some cosmetic benefits after
the operation, bariatric surgeons underscore that the primary goal is to help
curb obesity, and in turn minimize the functional and/or health issues that are
associated with the condition.
UT MIST’s own team of bariatric surgeons has observed the
effectiveness of a well-performed weight loss surgery, which can result in:
- Remission of Type 2 diabetes or control of its symptoms and resultant organ damage
- Improvement in cholesterol and blood pressure levels
- Resolution of sleep apnea
- Relief of back and/or arthritic pain
- Reduced asthma, acid reflux, and stress urinary incontinence
- Longer life span
There is no one-size-fits-all surgical procedure when it
comes to weight loss. The term “bariatric surgery” is a catch-all for a variety
of procedures that a bariatric surgeon may perform on the stomach and/or the
intestines to limit the quantity of food that can be held, thus inducing the
body’s weight loss mechanisms.
Current forms of surgery practiced by bariatric surgeons in
the United States include:
- Gastric sleeve or sleeve gastrectomy
- Gastric bypass
- Duodenal switch
- EndoSleeve
- LAP-BAND®
When performed by a licensed, experienced bariatric surgeon,
weight loss surgery today can be very safe, with low mortality rates that can
be compared to those of surgeries such as hip replacements or gall bladder
removals. But as with any surgical procedure, it could include possible
complications such as leakage, infection, or bleeding.
A decade-long follow-up of 1,787 American veterans who received gastric bypass observed that only 3.4
percent of the patients returned to within 5 percent of their pre-surgery
weight 10 years later.
UT MIST bariatric surgeons note that the chances of
long-term success in weight loss surgery are largely patient-dependent, as they
must be well-prepared and committed to making the nutritional changes required,
among a number of other new lifestyle modifications.
This can begin with a post-operative diet lasting a few
weeks to allow the body to heal, followed by long-term balance of protein and
vitamin intake, proper hydration, and increase of physical activity.
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