Bariatric Services

Many people struggle with obesity. Excess body fat can lead to a number of health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, some types of cancer and many other conditions. If this is an issue for you, there's help available right here at Holy Family Hospital from our specialists in bariatrics, the branch of medicine that deals with obesity.

Our bariatric program offers education, a support group and a variety of surgery options proven to help you lose weight. In fact, surgery ranks as the most effective method of losing weight and keeping it off. What's more, recent research shows a 35 percent lower risk of dying early among obese people who undergo stomach surgery to lose weight.

 

The Two Most Common Procedures:

Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

Roux-en-Y (roo-en-why) gastric bypass surgery uses staples to divide the stomach into two parts, a small upper pouch and a larger, lower section. The small upper pouch - which is the size of golf ball (about half an ounce) - will become the only part of your stomach to receive food.

The surgeon will attach a segment of your small intestine to the small pouch, effectively bypassing the larger section of your stomach. Although food does not enter the larger section of stomach, it still participates in the digestive process by secreting the stomach juices that combine with food during digestion. This procedure is typically preformed laparoscopically with a two day hospital stay. Most patients will return to work with in two weeks.

 

The Lap Band Procedure

This surgery places an adjustable band around the upper portion of your stomach to restrict the amount of food you can consume.

 

You'll require periodic adjustments to the band as you lose weight to help curb hunger feelings. These adjustments are usually preformed during a short office visit with little discomfort. The band is placed on an out patient basis with most patients returning to work with in one week.

For any surgery to be successful, it is important that your "new tool" be used correctly. Proper dietary training combined with frequent post operative guidance and body composition measurements will provide a recipe for success and health.

 

What can you expect?

Patients who undergo bariatric treatment can lose as much as 75 percent of their excess body weight. There are other positive outcomes, as well, often including the resolution of diabetes, hypertension and sleep apnea as well as improved self-image and quality of life. With surgery, you'll feel more satisfied after a smaller meal, enhancing your sense of control over your diet and health related issues. Just think -- more activities, more energy and improved health -- this is just the beginning of your new life of weight management.

 

Of course, surgery alone isn't enough. Holy Family Hospital's Bariatric Program surrounds you with the support you need to achieve your weight loss goals. You'll receive education, physical therapy, diet, exercise and expert medical advice as needed along the way. Each patient's program is customized to their needs.

 

For more information about Holy Family's weight-loss services, contact our bariatric department at 252-6311.

 

Are you a candidate for bariatric surgery?

Your body mass index (BMI) score is the most accurate way to determine if bariatric surgery is a suitable option for you. A BMI of 35 or above meets the World Health Organization and National Institutes of Health's definition of obesity and may qualify you for surgery.

 

BMI calculator

 

Holy Family Hospital participating bariatric surgeon

Dr. Lee Trotter

 

And to learn more about obesity, visit these links:

American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery

The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery was founded in 1983 to advance the science of bariatric surgery by encouraging investigations in both the clinic and the laboratory; promote guidelines for ethical patient selection and care; develop educational programs for physicians, paramedical persons and lay people; and promote outcome studies and quality assurance.

 

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) provides leadership for a national program in diseases of the heart, blood vessels, lung, and blood; blood resources; and sleep disorders. Since October 1997, the NHLBI has also had administrative responsibility for the NIH Woman's Health Initiative.