Questions?
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FAQ
Here you find the most commonly asked bariatric surgery questions answered by a team of top health professionals. You will find the answer to general questions, pre-surgery questions, and questions about surgery.
QUESTIONS
What is weight loss surgery?
Is weight loss surgery the same as liposuction?
What kinds of weight loss surgery are there?
Can I undergo a weight loss surgery?
How do I choose a weight loss procedure?
How much does weight loss surgery cost?
What are the routine tests administered prior to surgery?
What is the purpose of all these tests?
Why should I undergo a gastrointestinal evaluation?
Why should I undergo a sleep study?
Why should I undergo a psychiatric evaluation?
What impact do my medical problems have on the decision for surgery and how can they affect its risks?
How long should I wait before I can undergo a gastric bypass?
What can I do before surgery in order to be prepared for it faster?
Does laparoscopic surgery involve less risk than traditional surgery?
What risks does laparoscopic surgery involve?
What should I expect when waking up at the recovery room after surgery?
Will the surgeon leave a drainage in my body after surgery?
Will I feel pain?
For how long should I stay at the hospital?
How soon after surgery will I be able to walk?
How soon after surgery will I be able to drive?
ANSWERS
What is weight loss surgery?
Weight loss surgery is all surgery performed with the aim to reduce body weight for medical reasons. It is also called bariatric surgery. Learn more about bariatric surgery.
Is weight loss surgery the same as liposuction?
No. Weight loss surgery is performed for medical reasons, with the aim to improve the health of the patient that is at risk because of a medical condition caused by obesity. Liposuction, as other esthetic procedures, on the other hand, is performed with the sole purpose of altering the appearance of the patient’s body, regardless of their health.
What kinds of weight loss surgery are there?
There are two types of weight loss surgery: malabsorptive procedures, in which the calorie absorption of the patient is limited; and restrictive procedures, in which the food intake of the patient is limited. Learn more about bariatric surgery.
Can I undergo a weight loss surgery?
You would be advised to undergo a weight loss surgery only if your Body Mass Index (BMI) is higher than 40, and other weight loss methods, such as prescribed diet and regular excercise have failed. If your BMI is lower than 40, you could also be so advised if your weight involves medical conditions that consitute a threat to your health (such as cardiac conditions) and other weight loss methods have failed.
How do I choose a weight loss procedure?
Every case is different. Every case is delicate. We strongly advise you to contact us to help you decide which bariatric procedure suits best your weight loss needs. We are here to help! Please tell us more about yourself and one of our health professionals will follow your case.
How much does weight loss surgery cost?
Total costs largely depend on your particular case. Please, ask us for a quote.
What are the routine tests administered prior to surgery?
Certain tests are performed before surgery: Complete Blood Count (CBC), Urine Test and Chemical Panel. These have the purpose of obtaining data about 20 chemical blood values.
A Glucose Tolerance Exam is often performed to asses diabetes, which is common among overweight people.
All patients, excepting the youngest ones, undergo x-ray in chest and an electrocardiogram.
Is it possible that a vaginal ultrasound be performed to women, in order to detect abnormalities on the ovaries or the uterus.
Many surgeons require ultrasounds of the gall bladder to check for stones.
Other exams like pulmonary function evaluation, echocardiogram, sleep study, gastrointestinal evaluation, cardiology evaluation or psychiatric evaluation can be required in certain cases.
What is the purpose of all these tests?
The best way to avoid complications is never to have them. Therefore, before surgery, a precise evaluation is necessary. It is important to know if the thyroid function is adequate, as hypothyroidism can cause postsurgical sudden death. If you suffer from diabetes, special measures have to be taken to control blood sugar. As surgery increases cardiac stress, your heart must be meticulously evaluated. These tests will determine if you have a liver malfunction, respiratory difficulties, fluid excess in body tissues, abnormalities of mineral salts in body fluids or abnormal fat levels in blood.
Why should I undergo a gastrointestinal evaluation?
Patients with significant gastrointestinal symptoms such as pain in the upper part of the abdomen, heartburn, acid fluid belching, etc., might have subjacent conditions such as hiatal hernia, gastroesophageal reflux or peptic ulcer. For example, many patients have reflux symptoms. Up until 15% of these patients can show early changes in the esofagus walls, which can predispose them to esophageal cancer. It is important to identify these changes in order to plan a proper vigilance or a treatment program.
I should I undergo a Sleep Study?
A Sleep Study detects the tendency to abnormally stop breathing , which is usually associated to a blockage of the respiratory ways when the muscles relax while sleeping. This condition is associated with a high mortality rate. After surgery you will be sedated and will be given narcotics for the pain, which can affect normal breathing and reflexes. Blockage of respiratory ways is more dangerous in this lapse. Therefore, it is important to have a complete picture of what can be expected and how to manage it.
Why should I undergo a psychiatric evaluation?
The most common reason why a psychiatric evaluation is requested is because your insurance company can require it. Most psychiatrist will evaluate your understanding and knowledge of the risks and complications associated with weight loss surgery and your ability to follow the basic recovery plan.
What impact do my medical problems have on the decision of a surgery and how can they affect its risks?
Medical problems such as serious heart or lung conditions can increment risks in any surgery. On the other hand, if there are problems associated with the patient’s weight, these also increment the need for surgery. Severe medical problems could not dissuade the surgeon from recommending a gastric bypass surgery if this is appropriate for other reasons, but these conditions make that the risk for the patient be higher than average.
How long should I wait before I can undergo a gastric bypass?
Evaluation appointments are usually rapidly scheduled. Once the patient has been seen and the surgeon and the patient agree on the appropriateness of the operation, it can generally be scheduled within two weeks. In certain special cases some patients need more prior tests and treatment in order to attain the best condition for the surgery.
What can I do before surgery in order to be prepared for it faster?
You are about to undergo a bariatric procedure to improve your health. Therefore, you may want to ask your endocrinologist, cardiologist, etc. to check your cardiopulmonary and metabolic functions, and start correcting or controlling any condition produced by obesity, in order to improve as much as possible your health condition. We advise you to do the following:
- Make a list of all diets that you have tried (diet history) and take them to your doctor.
- Bring all relevant medical data to your appointment with the surgeon. This may include results of special tests, such as echocardiograms, sleep studies, etc., or a summary of your hospital stays if that has been the case.
- Bring a list of your medical prescriptions along with doses and times.
- Stop smoking. Surgical patients who consume products with tobacco have a higher surgical risk.
Does laparoscopic surgery involve less risk than traditional surgery?
No. Laparoscopic procedures involve the same risk as open surgery procedures. Benefits of laparoscopic surgery typically include less discomfort, a shorter stay at the hospital, a faster return to work, and reduced scarring. It is important to keep in mind that not all surgeons are prepared or trained enough to perform a laparoscopic surgery, and therefore if you want to benefit from the advantages of this technique it is advisable that you make sure your surgeon is a specialist.
What risks does laparoscopic surgery involve?
As with any major surgery, there is the risk of death by blood coagulation or other side effects of surgery. However, statistically speaking, the risk of death during these procedures is less than 1%. Your doctors will make a medical assessment of risks and will be prepared accordingly. All abdominal surgeries involve risks of bleeding, incision infection, thromboflebitis on legs (clots of blood), pulmonary problems (pneumonia, pulmonary embolism), brain hemorrhage, heart attacks, complications from anesthesia and intestinal blockage or obstruction. These risks are greater in patients with morbid obesity.
What should I expect when waking up at the recovery room after surgery?
Some doctors provide their patients with Patient Controlled Analgesia (PCA) which is a system for pain control that is auto administered by the patient. Other physicians prefer to control pain using an infusion device that provides local anesthesia into the area of surgery without the side effects of narcotics.
Will the surgeon leave a drainage in my body after surgery?
Most patients will have a slender tubular device to allow drainage of any fluid accumulated in the abdominal cavity. This device is actually a safety measure and it is usually removed a few days after surgery. Generally, this only produces a minor discomfort.
We aim to control pain so you can move and be active shortly after surgery. This helps prevent possible problems and achieve a faster recovery. Several prescriptions are commonly used simultaneously after surgery. While you are at the hospital, your physicist might use Patient Controlled Anesthesia (PCA), which enables you to take a personalized dose to control pain according to your needs. There are several methods, depending on the type of your surgical procedure. Ask your surgeon about other options.
For how long should I stay at the hospital?
The average hospital stay for a gastric bypass procedure is three days, for a gastric sleeve procedure is two days and for a gastric band procedure is one day. Hospital stay length might vary according to the health condition of the patient before the surgery. In very few cases hospital stays prior to surgery are required.
How soon after surgery will I be able to walk?
Almost immediately after surgery, your doctors will ask you to stand up and move. Patients are requested to walk or to stand by their beds the very night of the surgery, to take a walk the next day and the day after that. When leaving the hospital, you will be able to take care of yourself , but you will need help for shopping, lifting weight and transporting.
How soon after surgery will I be able to drive?
For your own safety, you should not drive before you have stopped taking narcotic medicine and are able to move fast and diligently to stop your car, specially in an emergency. This happens usually within 7 to 14 days after surgery.
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