For some, weight loss surgery may be an option. This surgery is available at St. Francis Medical Center.

Weight loss surgery is an option for those who are morbidly obese with body mass index (BMI) of 40 or greater (approximately 100 pounds or more over ideal weight for men or 80 pounds for women). People who have a BMI between 35 and 40 and an obesity-related disease, such as sleep apnea, diabetes, or heart disease, may also be candidates for surgery. But for others, greater efforts toward weight loss, such as changes in eating habits, behavior modification and increasing physical activity, may be more appropriate.
 
The current gold standard for weight loss surgery, or bariatric surgery, is known as gastric bypass. This is a major operation that reduces the stomach from the size of a large grapefruit to the size of a golf ball, thereby decreasing the amount of food the stomach can physically hold.  At the same time, the small intestine is reconfigured so food bypasses the first and second segment of the intestines (about two feet), thereby reducing the number of calories that the body can absorb. 

On the average, gastric bypass patients lose about 100 pounds, and this weight loss is maintained for at least 10 - 14 years.  Additional clinical research has shown that this weight loss leads to a significant improvement in the health status of many gastric bypass patients.  Many patients suffering from Type 2 diabetes no longer require medication after weight loss surgery.  Patients who could not previously have necessary joint replacements became good candidates for the operation, usually with excellent results.  Other medical conditions found to improve after gastric bypass include back and joint pain, sleep apnea, leg swelling, slipped disks, and lipid levels.

Gastric bypass may be performed as a traditional open surgery or as a laparoscopic procedure.  Laparoscopic, or minimally invasive, gastric bypass is performed through several small incisions, which may help reduce recovery time and post-surgical pain.

Like any surgery, there are risks to gastric bypass.  These risks cannot be considered alone, but must be weighed against the risks of remaining obese, especially given the poor long-term track record of non-surgical methods of treating obesity. 

For additional information on weight loss surgery at St. Francis Medical Center, please call 651-6463, talk with your physician or contact one of the following surgeons:

John Price, M.D.            Walter Sartor, M.D.
(318) 361-0145                (318) 398-2984