What is weight loss (bariatric) surgery? Bariatric surgery is a proven surgical approach to change the way you eat so you’ll lose weight. A small pouch is created along the inner curve of your stomach, reducing the size of your stomach so that it holds about one ounce of food, rather than the typical 20 to 30 ounces. This allows you to control your weight without feeling hungry.
Should I have bariatric surgery?
Because of the dramatic nature of this surgery, it should be reserved as a last option. Candidates typically have tried unsuccessfully to lose weight for at least five years. Ultimately, only you and your Henry Ford doctor can make that decision. The answer also depends on your willingness to make permanent lifestyle changes, which is key to achieving long-term, sustained weight loss.
Who performs the surgery?
The Henry Ford Bariatric Surgery Center offers board-certified bariatric surgeons. They are supported by a tremendous team of skilled professionals, including nurses, psychologists, registered dieticians and exercise specialists. Together, they are all committed to providing you with compassionate support and expert care before and after your surgery.
What are the surgical options? Henry Ford’s Bariatric Surgery Center offers the three most popular options:
• Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass: A small stomach pouch is created to decrease the amount of food it can hold. The small intestine is reconfigured so that food bypasses the first and a portion of the second segment of the small intestine to limit the calories your body absorbs. By taking in less food and fewer calories, your body is able to lose greater amounts of weight faster than by dieting.
• Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass: This is similar to the conventional Roux-en-Y, but performed through multiple mini-incisions, so it avoids the need for a large incision and offers reduced pain and recovery time.
• LAP-BAND: A band is placed laparoscopically in the abdomen and fastened around the upper part of the stomach to create a small pouch. The band can be adjusted without further surgery, allowing for an individualized stomach pouch size.
While immediate weight loss is less dramatic with the LAP-BAND approach, all three techniques are equally successful on a long-term basis. You and your surgeon will discuss which method is best for you.
How long will surgery take?
Roux-en-Y surgery is performed under general anesthesia and lasts about one to three hours, with a hospital stay of three to five days. With the LAP-BAND approach, surgery lasts less than two hours and many patients go home after a 24-hour hospital stay. You should prepare to be off work for four to eight weeks, depending on your occupation and the procedure you choose.
What are other benefits of surgery?
Weight loss surgery can reduce or eliminate your dependence on certain medications, such as insulin or oral diabetes drugs, and can improve these other medical conditions:
Sleep apnea
High blood pressure
High cholesterol and lipid levels
Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
Asthma attacks
Urinary bladder incontinence
Arthritic pain and mobility
Are there risks to surgery?
Every surgery has risks of complications. However, risks can be greatly reduced with an experienced bariatric surgery team and by carefully following instructions before and after surgery.
Your surgeon will explain the risks in detail during your surgical evaluation and recommend steps you can take to minimize them. In most cases, the surgical risks are outweighed by the benefits you will gain by improving your health problems.
You and your primary support person will learn more about these possible complications by attending Henry Ford’s required Bariatric Surgery Nurse and Nutrition Consultation Class.
Henry Ford’s Bariatric Surgery Center offers the three most popular options:
• LAP-BAND: A band is placed laparoscopically in the abdomen and fastened around the upper part of the stomach to create a small pouch. The band can be adjusted without further surgery, allowing for an individualized stomach pouch size.
