Bariatric Surgeon

Bariatric surgeons deal with patients suffering from obesity, offering weight loss solutions and treatments and assisting with maintenance of healthy weight. Obesity is now recognized as a national epidemic in the United States and bariatric surgeons are quickly coming into demand. Bariatric surgeons don’t always rely on surgical solutions, which are reserved for patients with extreme weight issues, and instead focus on treatments involving diet, exercise, and in some cases, medication.

5 Things You Need to Know

  1. Only the morbidly obese are eligible for weight loss surgery. The patient must be, on average, at least 80 to 100 pounds overweight to be considered, or suffer from a weight related condition such as heart disease or diabetes.
  2. Weight loss surgery is generally a safe procedure, but there are risks associated and there is a mortality rate of about .2 percent.
  3. In general, weight loss surgery works by reducing the size of the stomach, limiting the amount of food a patient is able to eat.
  4. Weight loss drugs aren’t usually considered an option for the morbidly obese because they are used as a short term treatment and can’t be continued for the months or years that it may take to lose an extreme amount of weight.
  5. Biliopancreatic diversion, where part of the small intestine is redirected, is one of the most dangerous weight loss surgeries because it has been known to result in malnutrition.

3 Questions You Need to Ask Your Bariatric Surgeon

  1. What types of bariatric surgeries do you perform/are you familiar with? There are a number of different procedures, each with different requirements and consequences, so you want to be sure your surgeon is aware of and able to perform different options.
  2. What kind of non-surgical assistance can you offer? Weight loss surgery is appropriate generally only in extreme cases, so you should inquire as to which non-surgical procedures your surgeon is familiar with.
  3. How do you deal with conditions and complications related to excess weight? Obesity is dangerous to your health and can cause complications and difficulties beyond an average surgical experience. A bariatric surgeon should be prepared to deal with all kinds of complicated situations, such as diabetic surgery, or heart problems.

Also Known As: Weight loss surgeon

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