Bariatric surgery is a serious step that has substantial impact on a patient.  It is reasonable to undergo a bariatric surgical procedure to improve your health.  However, patients should not enter into this surgical commitment for cosmetic reasons, to mend a distressed marriage, or for other social factors.  The following addresses some areas of greatest effect:

 

·        Psychosocial Impact: Prospective patients must be aware that if the surgery accomplishes its intended effect, it will also cause dramatic changes (both positive and negative) in a patient’s lifestyle, in their personal relationships and in their relationship with food.  The social and psychological impact is significant. To help you during this adjustment period, we encourage the extensive use of our support groups.

 

·        Medical Impact: Weight-loss and the subsequent improvement of medical problems generated by morbid obesity are the desired outcomes of any bariatric surgical procedure.  A patient will lose an average of 75% to 80 % of their excess weight. About half of this weight-loss occurs during the first 3-months post-surgery, and continues more gradually over the following 12 to 15- months until the patient reaches weight equilibrium.

 

·        General Health Impact: The weight-loss generated by this bariatric procedure will have a significant, positive impact on various medical conditions associated with obesity. These expected effects are outlined below:

o       Most likely to improve: congestive heart failure (CHF), hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, urinary incontinence, menstrual irregularity, infertility, back pain, hirsutism (women), infertility (women), pseudotumor cerebri.

o       Very likely to improve or resolve: diabetes, high blood pressure (hypertension), obstructive sleep apnea, Pickwickian syndrome, gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), knee pain.

o       Unlikely to improve: depression, vascular disease, arthritis.

 

In our office, we have defined the overall long-term performance results of the Laparoscopic or open Gastric-Bypass with Roux-en-Y Limb as follows:

 

·        75% - Optimal Surgical Outcome: Patients achieve sustained, major weight loss without material complications and significantly improve their co-morbid factors.

·        20% - Sub-optimal Surgical Outcome: Patients achieve substantial weight-loss with or without significant reduction of their co-morbid conditions, but fail to achieve their target weight and/or develop complications secondary to their surgical procedure.

·        5%: Poor Surgical Outcome: Small group of patients who fail to lose significant weight and/or have unresolved complications secondary to the surgical procedure. 

 

Statistically, morbidly obese patients who decide to undergo a bariatric surgical procedure are healthier and live longer than those who do not.