Surgical Weight Loss: Today, It Is Predictable and Safe
Bariatric surgery—surgery that leads to substantial weight loss—is a medical success story. During the past two decades, these procedures have been honed so that they not only result in predictable weight loss but are also very safe. Weight loss surgical procedures are now thought to be some of the safest operations performed in U.S. hospitals. Today, these procedures are also much easier for patients to recover from than in the past.
These advances, and the weight loss success of countless individuals, occurred thanks to improved surgical technique—notably, performing bariatric surgery laparoscopically. The minimally invasive approach has led to a much lower rate of complications, including infections. Patients experience a quicker recovery, with hospital stays typically lasting one to two days. Most patients are back to work quite easily at two weeks. An added bonus is that there is minimal scarring on the abdomen with a series of very small incisions that re often hard to see over time.
Those who come to the Emerson Center for Weight Loss know that, in deciding to have bariatric surgery, they have committed to a major lifestyle change. They will receive all the support they need at the center to be successful with diet, exercise and maintaining a positive mindset that will help keep the weight off for good. However, it is also important for patients to know that these procedures are fundamentally different than diet and exercise regimens. There is significant medical evidence that has shown that the procedures alter several important hormones in the body that control hunger and how much weight the body maintains. With such changes patients who have often struggled with their weight for years find real success that is durable.
Differing Procedures but Each Safe and Effective:
The two most common bariatric operations performed at the Emerson Center for Weight Loss are the:
• Gastric Bypass: Considered to be the gold standard of weight loss surgery, it creates a small stomach pouch in order to bypass part of the small intestine and restrict food intake.
• Sleeve Gastrectomy: This surgery permanently removes about two-thirds of the stomach and reshapes it into a long, narrow pouch, which limits food intake. It does not reroute the gastrointestinal tract.
Patients can expect to lose a varying amount of weight with each of these surgeries. One thing has become clear: substantial weight loss is proven to be effective at addressing a host of health problems: type 2 diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, acid reflux, asthma, cardiovascular disease—high blood pressure and high cholesterol—and degenerative joint disease. There is also evidence that these procedures have an effect on lifespan. Perhaps most importantly, they also greatly improve many patients’ day to day quality of life. For those who cannot get or keep their weight down with diet and exercise, weight loss surgery can offer real hope.
