| Dr. Giselle Hamad 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. What are the routine tests before bariatric surgery?
A. Routine blood work, chest x-ray, EKG, nutritional evaluation , and psychological evaluation. Other tests and consults may be prescribed by the bariatric surgeon depending upon the patient's medical history.
Q. What is Gastric Bypass surgery?
Gastric bypass surgery involves creating a small pouch out of the upper stomach. It holds less than half an ounce and helps the patient feel full faster so that they eat less. The small intestine is then divided and connected to this pouch to create a detour, or bypass. Therefore, fewer calories and nutrients are absorbed from food. This operation can be done laparoscopically and usually, patients stay in the hospital for 2 nights.
Q. Who is a good candidate for these types of surgeries?
A. Patients must have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 kg/m2 or greater. If there are severe weight-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, or sleep apnea, patients may qualify with a BMI of 35 or greater. Patients must be able to undergo general anesthesia and must understand and accept the risks of bariatric surgery.
Finally, they must be willing and able to comply with the postoperative diet and exercise program, vitamin and supplementation, and follow-up.
Q. What is the cost involved in the different types of procedures?
A. Most insurance companies still cover bariatric surgery as long as the patients fulfill the insurance requirements. Most insurance companies require a 6 month physician-supervised diet with monthly weigh-ins. All require nutritional evaluation and psychological evaluation.
For those patients who pay for the operation themselves, the cost of a laparoscopic gastric bypass is about $27,000 and a laparoscopic band is about $19,000.
Q. What is the Bariatric Surgery recovery process?
A. After laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding surgery, the patient stays in the hospital 1 night and resume work in 1-2 weeks. After laparoscopic gastric bypass, patients stay in the hospital for 2 nights and can resume work after 2-4 weeks.
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