Bariatric Surgery

What is Obesity?

Obesity is a chronic, debilitating and lifelong disease. Apart from affecting the quality-of-life, Obesity associates with many other medical conditions that greatly reduces the average life span and increases mortality.

St. Elizabeth prepares you to fight the battle of bulge by helping you to understand your body and moving towards a healthier future for you and your family.

Why Bariatric Surgery?

Many obese individuals have made serious attempts to lose weight through diet, exercise and medically supervised weight loss programs but have failed. In these cases, bariatric surgery is performed as a last resort treatment option. Bariatric surgery is rapidly gaining popularity as a safe and effective way to reduce weight in the severely obese.

For women of childbearing years there are special benefits and considerations for bariatric surgery. For many women, obesity plays a significant role in infertility. Bariatric operations not only increase the general health of these patients but have shown to improve their chances of getting pregnant.

Who is an ideal candidate for Bariatric surgery?

Patients with these characteristics are typically the best candidates for bariatric weight loss surgery:

• BMI over 40 or BMI over 35 with obesity-related conditions such as diabetes, , high blood pressure, reflux disease or sleep apnea
• At least 60 – 100 pounds above estimated ideal weight
• Age 18 or older
• Tried non-surgical weight loss methods without success
• Committed to long-term lifestyle changes, including dietary, exercise and medical requirements

Who is not fit for Bariatric surgery?

Bariatric surgery is not suitable for patients with certain medical conditions, including gastrointestinal disorders, severe pulmonary or cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disease and increased risk of bleeding or mental disorders.

How long does the surgery take?

Between 60 to 90 minutes and the operation always recorded on DVD, the patient gets a copy.

What type of technology used?

All surgeries are done using a Full HD laparoscopy through 4 – 5 small incisions between 5mm to 10mm.

Will the patient be in a lot of pain after surgery and what will be done to relieve the pain?

We offer pain free surgery and 99% of patients recover without pain.

How many days dose the patient stays in hospital?

Patients stay for 2-3 nights and are usually discharge with the ability to drive and manage usual daily activity.

Some of the preoperative tests and medications before bariatric surgery includes:

• Blood tests for liver & renal function
• Tests for blood sugar, lipid, thyroid functions and ECG
• Radiological tests for chest and scanning of the abdomen
• Cardiologist and endocrinologist consultations

If patient has history of gastric disease or acidity, we recommend him for endoscopy to avoid postoperative stomach pain or acidity. We like to prepare our patients a couples of days before surgery with antacid medicine, light liquid fat free diet with regular bowel habits.

What does the patient do on the day of surgery?

We prefer patient to be admitted the night before surgery and to have all the preparation for surgery and to start anticoagulant medicine to have safe surgery.