Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery Pheonix

People who are morbidly obese are candidates for bariatric surgery. In less technical terms, this means that a male individual who is more than 100 pounds overweight and a female who is more than 80 pounds overweight may need to undergo surgery to alter the anatomy and/or capacity of their digestive systems. Other likely candidates for bariatric weight loss are those overweight persons who have type 2 diabetes or serious conditions related to heart disease.

The first step that candidates for the procedure should take is choosing the right surgeon. It must be ensured that the surgeon has sufficient experience to reduce the possibility of complications after the operation. One study showed that fatalities often occur in operations conducted by doctors who are novices at this type of surgery. The best thing to do is to track former patients of the surgeons under consideration and ask them about their experience in the operation. There are bariatric patient support groups or some online forums which could be of help in this regard. It is also wise to establish if a surgeon is board-certified and a member of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. These will indicate whether the surgeon is professionally competent for the specific medical procedure.

The surgeon of choice must also be able to discuss with the patient which type of surgery is required for bariatric weight loss. Generally, there are three types of operations that the doctor should extensively discuss with the patient. These are the restrictive and malabsorptive procedures, and a combination of both. In simple terms, the restrictive surgery aims to limit the patient food intake after the operation, while the malabsorptive surgery seeks to restrict the capability of the small intestine to absorb nutrients and calories. The latter procedure is rarely employed and is usually done in combination with the restrictive types of surgery. There are two options in restrictive surgery. One is in a procedure called sleeve gastrectomy wherein the stomach capacity is reduced to the size of a banana. The other is called gastric banding wherein medical devices are implanted in the patient's stomach after which he or she will have less food cravings as the stomach will feel fuller.

The length of the bariatric weight loss operation may last one to two hours and three to five days' stay at the hospital may be needed depending on the particular procedure done on a patient. A minimum of two weeks after the operation is needed for recovery. Weight loss will vary depending on the type of surgery. Some patients can lose as much as 200 pounds while others may be able to reduce weight by 100 pounds.