All About Weight Loss Surgery

Losing weight can be difficult. If you are struggling with obesity and related health problems, and you have tried unsuccessfully to lose weight, bariatric surgery may be right for you.

Dr. Katz and his team offer you the most successful and least invasive weight-loss surgery options. After weight-loss surgery, his patients safely shed excess pounds and experience a dramatic improvement in weight-related health problems.

Obesity

Overweight and obese patients are at greater risk for developing many life-threatening conditions including:

• Diabetes
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Heart disease
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Joint damage
• Severe sleep apnea

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), individuals who are obese have a 10 percent to 50 percent increased risk of death from all causes.

Weight loss surgery is a safe alternative when other methods aren't working

Traditional diets have a poor success rate among people who are 100 pounds or more over their ideal body weight. Bariatric surgery is a safe alternative.

Bariatric surgery patients not only lose significant weight, studies show they also experience a 60 percent to 80 percent improvement in obesity-related health problems. Weight-loss surgery works better than medications to control blood sugar in overweight and moderately obese people with type 2 diabetes, according to a study that appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine in March 2012.

You may be a candidate for bariatric surgery if you have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more—or 35 or more in combination with health problems such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and/or sleep apnea.

Why have weight loss surgery?

The combination of bariatric surgery and a comprehensive treatment plan may be an effective way for you or someone you love to maintain long-term weight loss and good health. There are many benefits to having bariatric surgery, including:

• Improved longevity. Those who undergo bariatric surgery are found to have a lower risk of death than obese individuals who don't have surgery.
• Improvement or cure of obesity-related conditions. The majority of patients who have bariatric surgery have an improvement or cure of obesity-related conditions, including high blood pressure, diabetes sleep apnea, asthma, arthritis, cholesterol levels, and more.
• Long-term weight loss success. Studies show that more than 75 percent of people who have bariatric surgery are able to maintain at least 50 percent of their excess body weight loss following the procedure.
• Faster metabolism. As you lose more weight, you will find yourself participating in more physical activity, such as biking, walking and swimming, which improves the body's ability to burn fat efficiently. Hormones like insulin and cortisol (stress hormone) are also reduced, which helps lower the body's storage of fat.
• Better quality of life. Bariatric surgery patients report a better quality of life after the procedure, including better mobility, reduced depression and anxiety, improvement in self-esteem, social interactions and sexual function.

Bariatric surgery for pseudotumor cerebri (PTC)

Weight-loss surgery can resolve another complication of severe obesity: pseudotumor cerebri (PTC). Also called idiopathic intracranial hypertension, PTC is associated with severe headaches, peripheral vision problems, elevated cerebrospinal fluid pressure and a type of tinnitus.

Studies show that bypass surgery is the long-term procedure of choice for severely obese patients with PTC, according to the National Institute of Health.

Different types of weight loss surgery

There are many different procedures to choose from but they fall into two basic categories:

• One restricts the size of the stomach to reduce the amount of food you can eat.
• The second type restricts the size of the stomach and also bypasses parts of the digestive tract to limit the calories absorbed as food passes through your intestines.

Dr. Katz can help you discuss which approach will help you achieve your individual goals in the safest manner possible. For a full review of the available options, head to our "Different Procedures" page.

What to expect

If you are considering weight-loss surgery, Dr. Katz and his team at Ascension Medical Weight Loss delivers comprehensive, personalized care throughout your journey to good health and body transformation. You receive:

• A thorough evaluation by our bariatric team and a personalized treatment plan that includes visits with bariatric anesthesiologists and other healthcare professionals
• Consultations with a registered dietician and our team social worker, who takes you through each step, monitoring you for vitamin and mineral deficiencies and a healthy rate of weight loss
• Consultations with our leading expert in body contouring after achieving your weight-loss goal

For more information or to request a consultation, please call us at 1-866-823-4458.