Bariatric Surgery: What Is It?

Written by Jane Long

Bariatric surgery has been used for several decades as a weight loss tool. In recent years, it has grown incredibly important and valuable since surgical procedures have improved. This type of weight loss surgery is performed only on those people who are obese. It is a modification of the stomach and gastrointestinal tract. The surgical procedure is designed to reduce the amount of nutrients the body can absorb from consumed food. Because the body is only able to consume a small amount, the body must use stored fat as energy and, in turn, the individual will lose weight.

The term bariatric surgery is one that is used to represent a variety of different types of procedures that do this. These procedures can be used in various ways. For some, the stomach pouch is made smaller while for others the intestinal tract is shortened. Each is unique, and often selected based on its ability to fit the patient's needs. This type of surgery is often used only for those who are morbidly obese, as an only option for reducing weight. Often, the patient must have a significant health problem associated with their weight to be considered for this type of surgery. Many doctors warn of the risks of the surgery, but precautions are in place for many people.

Medical Guidelines Explained

Each doctor who performs this or other forms of weight loss surgery is able to make their own decisions regarding the types of people they can be used on. There are some people who are simply too unhealthy to apply this procedure to. As with all surgeries, doctors need to ensure that the risks of surgery do not outweigh the risks to life of not having surgery. In other words, if the risks are too high to have the surgery, then the patient should not have it.

The surgery is usually only used for those who have a BMI, or body mass index over 40. This is a percentage of body fat found in the body when bone mass it taken into consideration. A normal healthy body weight has a BMI around 20 to 25. Those who have a BMI of at least 40 may be facing serious health complications from their weight. This includes illnesses like diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. The BMI is only the first tool used to determine if the patient is a candidate for this procedure.

A second consideration for bariatric surgical procedures is past dieting experience. If a patient has tried and has not been successful at other forms of dieting, they may be considered for this procedure. The goal of any surgery is to minimize risk as much as possible. Standard dieting and exercise is often the first course of action for treating patients who are overweight. In some cases, though this is a rare occurrence rather than a common one, patients are unable to lose weight effectively through normal means of dieting and exercise. In these circumstances, it becomes very important for doctors to pursue other types of treatment, including weight loss surgery. Most doctors will require a patient to lose five to ten percent of their body weight prior to surgery anyway, since this will greatly reduce the risks to their health when they do so.

Doctors also have to look at the benefits that the patient can see from having the surgery. Most insurance companies will not pay for surgical procedures like this unless there is significant risk to the patient's life and it is determined that weight loss surgery is the only option to repair it. For example, a patient who is suffering from sleep apnea is experiencing a serious health risk. If sleep apnea is caused directly from the excessive weight, losing weight is likely one of the only options to overcoming the condition. If an individual does not lose enough weight, fast enough, he or she could develop a number of other health conditions, including kidney failure and heart failure.

Getting The Procedure

As you can see, not everyone will qualify for weight loss surgery. If you feel that you may qualify, the first step in the process is to talk with your family doctor about it. Determine what your options are. Then, seek out the most experienced bariatric doctor you can. Experience really does underscore the success of this surgery. A patient who is able to work with an experienced professional surgeon is likely to lose more weight and have more options in the types of surgery performed.

The risks are important to weigh. Those who have this type of weight loss surgery often experience high blood pressure and may be facing serious health risks going under anesthesia. In addition, many patients face an increased risk of a heart attack, stroke or even death from the surgical procedure. The best way to minimize these risks is to lose a considerable amount of weight prior to the surgery (generally five percent of the amount of weight doctors hope you will lose.)

In addition to all of these tests, doctors also will require patients to seek counseling services. Since the procedure is so restrictive in the types and amounts of food that can be consumed, doctors need to ensure that patients are ready for this complete shock that they will receive. Any problems with weight that are associated with emotional eating or other psychological problems that individual have had to be addressed prior to the surgical procedure. This will help to ensure the procedure goes well prior to it.

If you believe you are qualified for bariatric surgery, or you want to learn more, it is best to start with a qualified doctor. Each case is different. For some patients, the best course of action is to work with your doctor to access your own situation then to make decisions regarding your overall goals and health needs. For those who do have the procedure, there are excellent results available. It is often the case that individuals can see drastic life quality improvement from this one, unique procedure.