Weight Loss
The Skinny on Weight Loss Surgery
By
Mar 31, 2007, 00:33

(ARA) – Chances are, if you’re not currently among the 66 percent of adults who need to shed some pounds, you have been in the past -- or will be in the future. Experts agree diet and exercise remain the best ways to lose weight. But for a portion of the overweight population -- those considered morbidly obese -- sometimes those tactics aren’t enough.

More than half of all overweight Americans are obese, with body mass indexes (BMI) in excess of 30, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. “By any standard, obesity is truly an epidemic in the United States,” says Dr. John G. Zografakis, medical director of Summa Health System’s Bariatric Care Center in Akron, Ohio.

Frustrated by unsuccessful efforts to control their weight through diet and exercise alone, more obese adults are turning to weight loss surgery. For many the results add up to more than just dramatic weight loss. It also can help address the host of health problems associated with obesity (known as co-morbidities), such as hypertension, high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, gall bladder disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea and endometrial, breast and colon cancer.

So how do you know if bariatric surgery is right for you? And if it is, what type do you choose?

“Bariatric surgery is for patients who have a high BMI and are morbidly obese -- approximately 100 pounds over their ideal body weight,” says Dr. Zografakis. Obesity related ailments also are a factor in determining if weight loss surgery is appropriate. According to a recent study of bariatric patients, the majority of individuals saw their co-morbidities resolved after surgery. Ninety eight percent of patients who suffered from acid reflux no longer had symptoms after surgery. Ninety five percent of Type 2 diabetics and those with cardiac problems were improved post-surgery. And cholesterol and hypertension issues were resolved in 97 and 92 percent of patients, respectively.

“I was afraid I would have a stroke and be a burden to my family,” says Ann Beal, who underwent bariatric surgery at Summa Health System in December 2004. Beal, whose weight made it difficult for her to perform simple tasks such as walking through a grocery store parking lot, also suffered from hypertension and knee pain.

After talking to Dr. Zografakis at length about her options, Beal chose one of the most common types of weight loss surgery: minimally invasive laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass in which the normal anatomy of the stomach and small intestine is altered to restrict the size of the stomach and to limit the body’s ability to absorb ingested food.

Back to work two weeks after the surgery, Beal’s blood pressure is now stable and she only needs half the medications she took before. “I feel better now than I did ten years ago,” she says.

“A bariatric health care provider should help you determine if you are a candidate for weight loss surgery,” Dr. Zografakis advises. “At Summa Health System, our multi-disciplinary team extensively evaluates all patients considering surgery and makes a recommendation regarding each person’s individual needs in order to ensure a successful outcome.”

Another increasingly popular option is Lap-Band surgery. In this minimally invasive procedure, a silicone ring is placed around the upper portion of the stomach and gradually filled with saline over several months. The band creates a new, smaller stomach pouch so that the food storage area of the stomach is reduced and patients feel full sooner and are not hungry between meals.

Because both types of surgery can be done using minimally invasive laparoscopic techniques, hospitalization and recovery times are a matter of days and weeks, rather than months.

“Remember, though, that bariatric surgery is not a magic wand,” Dr. Zografakis cautions. “Patients must commit to changing their lifestyles following surgery in order to keep the weight off. That means following a daily exercise plan and practicing good nutritional habits.”

To learn more about bariatric surgery options and calculate your BMI, visit www.summahealth.org/weightloss.

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