A recent study published in Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases, the Official Journal of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, revealed that only 25% of all post-op weight loss surgery patients “maintained accurate expectations” of the amount of weight they would lose. At BHP, however, we believe ensuring patients have a clear understanding of a procedure is one of its most important tasks. To be specific, it’s crucial for prospective patients to understand these 5 things while considering one of the life-changing bariatric surgical procedures we perform.

1. The Difference Between a Lap Band and a Gastric Bypass– The most common procedure, elected by over 100,000 people each year, is the Lap Band Surgery, which involves placing a band around the top of the stomach to limit stomach capacity and food intake. The oldest and most commonly discussed surgery, the gastric bypass, involves the complete removal of the stomach, and the rerouting of food directly into the small intestine.
2. Gastric Sleeve – A third option, gastric sleeve surgery, is the most rapidly growing weight loss procedure due to the fact that it is sometimes more effective than the Lap Band at helping patients lose weight and keep it off, while being significantly less invasive than the gastric bypass. The sleeve gastrectomy procedure involves removing a portion of the stomach so the patient gets full quicker, while still digesting food in the same way. According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, the average sleeve gastrectomy patient lost 55% of their excess weight within three years of having the surgery.
3. Benefits – The benefits of any effective weight loss surgery can be, quite literally, life-saving. In addition to the confidence patients gain by dropping down to a healthy weight, shedding the pounds will often help fight an array of obesity related medical problems including high blood pressure, joint pain, sleep apnea, gastric reflux, and in many cases can even bring about remission of Type 2 diabetes.
4. Risks – Every surgery comes with its own risk of complications, but bariatric surgery is much safer than many people think. A recently released study revealed that the complication and mortality rates for even the most invasive type of weight loss surgery, gastric bypasses, are equal to those of more common procedures like knee replacements and appendectomies.
5. Recovery –The average sleeve gastrectomy patient can expect to return to work in about one to three weeks following the surgery. In addition to our skill in guiding patients through the learning and adjustment process that follows a procedure, our roster of outstanding plastic surgeons are available to help patients who are happy with the weight loss, but who may be unhappy with the side effects that sometimes follow a successful procedure, including loose skin.

Being informed is important, but where you go for a sleeve gastrectomy treatment matters a great deal. Our BHP team of experienced, caring, and highly-trained surgeons provides patients with expert care from consultation to post-op dietary support.