Center for Bariatric Surgery
Surgical Options
FAQs
Note - this is NOT medical advice. Below are several questions posted by the public, followed by some comments from our surgeons. These comments are for educational purposes. For medical advice, be sure to consult a bariatric specialist in person regarding your unique situation.
Q: Why should someone consider having bariatric surgery?
A: A person should consider having bariatric surgery if he or she is at least 100 pounds overweight. At this weight, a person is considered morbidly obese and may suffer from the following conditions: high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep apnea (serious sleep disorder), cerebral artery disease (stroke), diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes), respiratory insufficiency, degenerative arthritis, infertility, or cancer of the breast, colon, prostate or uterus. Usually within the first six months of having surgery, patients will no longer need to take medications for these conditions.
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Q: Who is eligible for bariatric surgery?
A: Patients must be morbidly obese, weighing 100 pounds or more than their ideal weight. They must be experiencing serious health problems as a result of their weight. Individuals chosen to receive bariatric surgery typically have tried dieting and exercising with no success. Patients also must be between 21 and 62 years of age.
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Q: Are there several types of bariatric surgery?
A: Yes, there have been many approaches to surgical weight loss. The first weight loss operation, called the intestinal bypass, was completed in 1958. Because of serious side effects, the procedure is no longer used anywhere. In 1966 stomach stapling was introduced. Early results were good, but complications occurred after a few years, resulting in weight gain. The failure of these early procedures has contributed to our understanding and development of the successful bariatric surgery procedures used today.
Based on 4,000 successful surgical procedures and more
than 55 years of combined bariatric surgical experience,
St. Vincent Charity Medical Center 's surgical team performs
the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure. With this procedure,
the stomach is divided into unequal parts, using the
smaller of the two for digestive purposes. This procedure
is performed traditionally, as well as laparoscopically
(using small incisions).
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Q: What is the difference between gastric bypass surgery, gastric banding and stomach stapling?
A: Gastric bypass surgery actually divides the stomach into two unequal parts and connects the small intestine for digestive purposes. Stomach stapling sections off a portion of the organ limiting food intake. Where gastric bypass and gastric banding have a built in mechanism to deal with overeating or consuming "junk" food, stomach stapling does not. The stomach staple has been known to fail-the staples can loosen and patients return to their pre-surgical weight.
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Q: What is the recovery time following surgery?
A: The average hospital stay is three to four days. Depending on the physical requirements of a patient's job, he or she may need to take two to six weeks off following the surgery.
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Q: How much does bariatric surgery cost?
A: The average cost is between $25,000 and $30,000.
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Q: Do patients need to change their eating habits after surgery? Can they eat the same foods?
A: After surgery, patients have a post-operative consultation with their physician and a dietician at St. Vincent Charity Medical Center . They are provided with daily meal recommendations and are advised on daily caloric intake. Typically, patients are required to follow a liquid diet for four weeks following surgery, but gradually return to normal eating, in smaller amounts, after that.
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Q: How much food can patients eat after surgery?
A: For the first four weeks following surgery, patients are limited to eating only pureed foods and protein supplements. During the fifth week, patients move on to semi-soft food. At the sixth week, the only limitations are refined sugars and fat. A balanced diet of 1000-1,200 calories is recommended.
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Q: Is it possible to overeat after having the procedure?
A: Yes, it is possible to overeat. However, if a patient does overeat, the body will react. The Roux-en-Y gastric bypass has a built-in feature that causes a person to experience nausea, diarrhea and sweating if they eat foods that are high in fat or refined sugars. This built-in mechanism is what makes the Roux-en-Y procedure so successful.
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Q: Do patients normally take supplements after surgery?
A: Typically, the body absorbs calories and nutrients at all stages of digestion, but with two stages bypassed, the body is unable to do this. Therefore, supplements are crucial. Dieticians at St. Vincent Charity Medical Center make recommendations about supplements to patients.
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Q: How long will it take to reach an ideal weight?
A: Most patients lose 70 percent of their excess weight within the first 18 months following surgery. They will continue to lose weight until the goal weight is reached. Usually, within the first six months, patients will no longer need to take medications for diabetes, sleep apnea and other ailments related to being overweight.
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Q: After the surgery and weight loss, is it possible to gain the weight back?
A: Bariatric surgery is a successful weight loss and prevention procedure. Surgeons at St. Vincent Charity Medical Center 's Cleveland Center for Bariatric Surgery say that there is a 60/40 split to the program's success. This means that 60 percent of the weight loss is a result of the surgery. The remaining 40 percent depends on the patient and his/her commitment to the program and to following meal and supplement plans. If used properly, bariatric surgery is a weight loss and prevention tool that can be used throughout a lifetime.
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Q: Does a patient need to have the surgery reversed after losing the weight?
A: No. Bariatric surgery is a life-long procedure that helps to maintain weight loss. The only reason to have the procedure reversed is if there is a medical reason to do so. For example, if a patient had a disease that required his or her body to absorb more nutrition.
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Q: What are the risks of bariatric surgery?
A: Bariatric surgery is considered a major abdominal surgery, therefore, potential risks are associated with the procedure, including the risk of infection, leg and lung clots, bowel obstruction and intestinal or stomach leakage.
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Q: What is the Cleveland Center for Bariatric Surgery' Membership Fee?
A: This is a $325 fee covering services we provide for our comprehensive program. It may cover one or several of the following:
- Educational materials
- Pre-surgery support groups
- Monthly newsletter
- Nursing and dietary
consultation
- Letter of request to
insurance
- Insurance
verification/correspondence
- Discount of fitness programs
- Medical alert card
- Access to our online patient
forum
- Post-operative support groups
- Invitations to special events
- Access to clothing exchange
- Copy of Patient Handbook
- Restaurant card
Because this is an administrative program fee, it does not get billed to your insurance company. It is non-refundable. It does not include or get applied toward your out-of-pocket expense, your consultation fee or your co-pays.
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