Bariatric Surgery Program

Before recommending bariatric surgery as an option, your doctor will undertake a thorough evaluation and examination to assess appropriateness of the weight loss procedure.

In general, bariatric surgery is recommended for people who are at least 100 pounds overweight and have a Body Mass Index (BMI) over 40, or for those with a BMI between 35 and 39 who show evidence of weight driven disease. It is also critical that potential candidates are mentally capable of understanding the risks inherent in this surgery. Bariatric medicine is primarily concerned with treating obesity through diet, exercise, behavioral modification, pharmacotherapy and surgery.

Bariatric surgery, sometimes referred to as gastric bypass surgery, involves surgical alterations to the stomach or small intestine so that significantly less food can be consumed and fewer calories absorbed.

Once surgery is deemed an appropriate choice, your doctor or a bariatric specialist will create an individualized and comprehensive program involving pre-surgical care and counseling, post-surgical care and counseling, and a regimen for on-going success.

It should be noted that statistics show that complications of bariatric surgery are reduced dramatically with weight loss prior to surgery. The Center for Medical Weight Loss' bariatric physicians advocate pre-operative weight loss and recommend several high-nutrition meal replacement programs to ensure safe weight loss and optimum health.