Laredo Bariatric Surgery

Dr. Charles Schwartz is a member of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Here the Doctor has answered some of the common questions Bizymoms visitors have about Bariatric Surgery.


Q. How long is the recovery period?

A. The procedures are done through a laparoscope. Usually there are 6 small incisions. The recovery time is about 1 week. Patients spend 1 to 2 nights in the hospital, depending on the procedure. They are required to get up and walk the afternoon of surgery. The following day patients receive a swallow study to make sure liquids pass through the area of surgery. They are started on a liquid diet. The Lap-Band patients go home. The gastric bypass and sleeve patients stay one more night.

Q. What is Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery?

A. The gastric bypass is a procedure where the stomach is divided at the top creating a small pouch which fits about 2 to 4 ounces of food. The intestine is also divided and connected to the pouch. This is done in such a way that the part of the intestine that the food normally goes through first is bypassed. This makes a person unable to eat very much and not everything they eat gets absorbed. It is basically two mechanisms for weight loss in one. The weight loss tends to be faster than the other procedures  initially. This is a very good procedure for patients who have more than 100 pounds to lose. It is also a very strong procedure for patients with diabetes Type II. Their sugars tend to become controlled or normal even before they experience any significant weight loss.

Q. What types of bariatric surgeries are there?

A. There are basically 3 common procedures. The gastric bypass, the gastric sleeve, and the Lap-Band. There are other procedures but these three are the most common.

Q. Does Bariatric Surgery Typically Lead to Major Weight Loss? What is the average level of weight loss of each type of surgery?

A. Most patients will experience significant weight loss. Even more important is that most people will experience control or resolution of their weight related medical problems such as Diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, and gastric reflux disease to name a few. Women may experience an improvement in their fertility especially if it is related to polycystic ovarian syndrome which is affected by obesity. The average weight loss is about 55-65% of excess body weight with the Lap-Band, 60-75% with the gastric sleeve and up to 80-90% with the bypass. The results are highly dependent on the patient following the dietary regimen, changing their eating habits and following an exercise regimen. Having surgery is not the easy way out. People still have to watch what they eat, how they eat and exercise. Surgery is only a tool which makes it easier to lose and maintain weight loss. It is however a very effective tool. We teach patients how to use these tools to have the best possible outcomes. It is still up to them to use it correctly.