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Y
ou probably know it’s a good idea to maintain a
healthy weight. But if you’ve got a high BMI, or
body mass index, just getting to that weight might
be easier said than done. You might qualify for obesity
surgery if you have a BMI of 40 or greater—about 80 pounds
overweight for women or 100 pounds overweight for men.
Benefits of weight loss
Obesity is associated with high blood
cholesterol, pregnancy complications,
menstrual irregularities, hirsutism
(the presence of excess body and
facial hair), stress incontinence,
psychological disorders such
as depression, and in-
creased surgical risk.
By losing weight,
you can improve
your health and
lower your risk of
developing:
»
Diabetes.
»
Heart disease.
»
Stroke.
»
Hypertension.
»
Gallbladder disease.
»
Osteoarthritis.
»
Sleep apnea and
other breathing
problems.
»
Some forms of cancer
(uterine, breast,
colorectal, kidney
and gallbladder).
e National Institutes of Health (NIH) de nes obesity as a
BMI of 30 or greater. As much as 10 percent of the total
health care costs in Western countries can be attributed to
obesity. Nearly one quarter of adults in the U.S. are obese—
that’s 39.8 million people. Between 1991 and 1998, obesity
increased in every state, across all genders, races, ethnicities,
age groups and education levels.
Is obesity surgery for me?
Obesity surgery is only recommended for
people with a BMI of 40 or greater, but
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 obesity surgery. For others,
greater e orts toward weight
control, such as changes in eating
habits, behavior modi cation and
increasing physical activity, may
be more appropriate.
No method can guarantee weight
loss or weight-loss maintenance.
Successful weight loss is only
possible when a patient commits
fully to a lifetime of behavioral
changes and medical follow-up.
Like any major operation, obesity
surgery may present serious risks,
including possible infection and
complications from general
anesthesia. Consult your doctor to nd out if
obesity surgery is appropriate for you.
Bariatric Surgery
Join us for a free symposium
»
Saturdays, July 28, Aug. 25,
Sept. 22, Oct. 27; 10 a.m. to noon
»
Wednesdays, Aug. 1, Sept. 5,
Oct. 3, Nov. 7, Dec. 5; 7 to 9 p.m.
Explore the opportunities and
advantages of laparoscopic gastric
bypass, Lap-Band and gastric sleeve
surgeries. Talk to physicians and ask
questions of patients who have had
the procedures. This seminar will be
held at Methodist Hospital. Please
call
888-388-2838
to register.
It is important to choose a surgeon
who specializes in your area of
concern, has performed your opera-
tion numerous times and will take
the time to educate you on your
options. Meet our physicians who
specialize in this type of surgery:
Troy LaMar, MD, FACS; Bengt Pehrs-
son, MD, FACS; Asok Doraiswamy,
MD, FACS.
GETTING TO THAT
HEALTHY WEIGHT
Our bariatric
team
Methodist Hospital’s bariatric
surgeons are highly skilled and
experienced.
»
We have nearly 30 years of ex-
perience in bariatric surgery.
»
We have performed more than
3,000 bariatric procedures.
»
Our services include laparo-
scopic gastric bypass, Lap-Band
and lap revisions.
»
We feature a surgical floor
dedicated to bariatric patients.
»
Our staff is experienced, caring
and dedicated.
»
We use special, highly technical
equipment.
»
We have a dedicated bariatric
registered nurse coordinator.
»
Our average length of stay is
only one day for bypass surgery
patients.
»
Our Lap-Band surgery is
performed as an outpatient
procedure.
»
We accept most types of
insurance.
Methodist Hospital is recog-
nized by the American Society
of Bariatric Surgeons and also
holds these distinctions:
»
Bariatric Surgery Center of
Excellence.
»
Blue Shield Distinction Center
for Bariatric Surgery.
»
CIGNA-certified hospital for
bariatric surgery.
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Health Net of California-desig-
nated bariatric surgery program.
»
Aetna Institutes of Quality
Bariatric Surgery Facility.
Please call
888-388-2838
for a
physician referral.
What is
gastric bypass
surgery?
Gastric bypass is a type of bar-
iatric, or weight-loss, surgery. It
reduces the size of the stomach
to a small pouch. It also bypasses
the upper part of the small
intestine, sending food directly
to the lower part. This leads to
weight loss because less food is
absorbed. It is also called Roux-
en-Y gastric bypass.
Source: National Institutes of Health