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Overview Recent medical research has showed that obesity is a genetic abnormality that is expressed in variable degrees, even between individuals within the same family. When a person's weight increases in excess of 100 pounds above one's ideal body weight or a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 40, medical implications become very important as there exists an increased risk for cardiac and pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, and most importantly, a 20-fold increased risk of early death. For these types of patients, structured dietary programs have universally been unsuccessful. For many individuals, dieting, hypnosis, self help groups, and behavior modifications are met with minimal or only temporary success. Drug therapies, such as Meridia and others in the developmental stage have offered hope to obese patients. However, the data suggests that the only long term solution for many morbidly obese patients is surgical intervention. Patients often report that whatever weight loss is accomplished is ultimately followed by weight regain and all efforts are associated with feelings of guilt and depression. Life for people with morbid obesity can be difficult. Weight spirals up and plummets down, resulting in feelings of failure, frustration, and hopelessness. It is this population of seriously obese patients that weight loss surgery also known as Bariatric surgery is intended to help. Bariatric surgery is the field of surgery devoted to weight loss. Bariatric surgery offers a surgical option for the treatment of morbid obesity when other measures have been unsuccessful. The currently applied surgical procedures of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and Lap-Band have consistently resulted in 80 to 140 pounds of weight loss in properly selected patients. As you might expect, such significant weight reduction has a tremendous impact on all aspects of life, and as you lose your excess weight, the way you feel about yourself, your family, and friends will change. This information guide is an introduction to the surgical treatment for obesity offered at Shands Hospital at the University of Florida. Questions that are not answered in this patient guide should be directed to members of the Bariatric surgery team. These team members include surgeons, psychiatrists/psychologists, dietitian, physical therapist, nurses, physician assistants, and the program coordinator. Weight loss surgery cannot accomplish or maintain the necessary weight loss without your cooperation. To accomplish and maintain weight loss after surgery, you must eat less food, change the types of food you eat, and increase your exercise. We currently offer two surgical approaches for the management of morbid obesity: the laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure and the laparoscopic Lap-Band procedure. The Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is recognized as the "gold standard" surgical procedure, and is the only procedure to have demonstrated long-term maintenance of weight loss. The Lap-Band procedure results in less weight loss, requires more frequent office visits for adjustment, but is a less invasive surgical procedure and is associated with fewer major complications. Therefore, it is very important for you to carefully consider the two surgical options, and for us to conduct a complete evaluation before surgery to make sure which surgery is right for you. |