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The most obvious benefit of bariatric surgery is weight loss. Most patients lose up to 70% of their excess weight within a year after surgery, and some can lose as much as 95%. Importantly, significant weight loss can be maintained for a decade or more following surgery. The amount and pace of weight loss varies from patient to patient, but our experienced clinical team can help you set a realistic “goal or set weight” and provide ongoing support and encouragement to help you achieve your goal.

Improved Health
Obesity often causes or complicates serious medical conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Significant weight loss has been shown to greatly reduce or even eliminate many of these conditions, which can allow patients to cut out medication and enjoy greatly improved overall health. Note: Do not stop taking prescribed medications without consulting a doctor familiar with your medical history.

Increased Quality of Life
In addition to strictly physical benefits, substantial weight loss allows many patients to enjoy life more for a variety of reasons, including increased confidence, improved self-image, the ability to participate in enjoyable activities, and enhanced social relationships.

Keep in Mind
Bariatric surgery has helped thousands of patients when nothing else could, but it truly is not appropriate for everyone or in all cases. As you consider your own situation and options for treatment, please be aware of the following:

  • Bariatric surgery should only be an option once you and your doctor have considered all other treatments. 
  • Weight loss operations are major procedures and should never be considered cosmetic surgery. 
  • Complications can arise that will require additional surgery to evaluate or correct. 
  • Surgery enables you to lose a great deal of weight over the course of weeks and months. It does not remove fat or provide immediate results. 
  • Bariatric surgery is not a cure for obesity or an easy solution. It involves hard work, diligent follow-up care, and lifelong changes to diet. Also, many procedures are not reversible. 

Complications and Risks
All surgery involves risk, and the likelihood of a particular outcome depends greatly on the individual patient and many complicated factors. Dr. Schumacher and other members of our team are always happy to discuss the potential risks as well as the expected benefits of weight loss surgery. Our goal is to ensure that you are well-informed and comfortable choosing the best treatment for your unique needs. Possible complications of weight loss surgery can include:

 

 
  • Allergic reactions—From minor reactions such as a rash to sudden overwhelming reactions, through rare, can cause death. 
  • Anesthetic complications—Anesthesia used to put you to sleep for the operation can be associated with a variety of complications, though rare, can include death. 
  • Bleeding—From minor to massive bleeding that can lead to the need for emergency surgery, transfusion, or death. 
  • Blood clots—Also called deep vein thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolus that can sometimes cause death.
     
  • Infection—Including wound infections, bladder infections, pneumonia, skin infections and deep abdominal infections that can sometimes lead to death. 
  • Leak—After the operation, with injury to stomach or esophagus, the new connections can leak. This can require repeated surgery, intensive care and even death. 
  • Narrowing—Narrowing or ulceration of the region of the band. 
  • Dumping syndrome—Symptoms include cardiovascular problems with weakness, sweating, nausea, diarrhea and dizziness. 
  • Loss of bodily function—Including stroke, heart attack, limb loss and other problems related to operations and anesthesia. 
  • Erosion—Any foreign material placed around an abdominal structure may cause erosion, bleeding, stricture and infection that may necessitate removal, re-operation or result in serious complications such as infection, abscess or death. 
  • Bowel Obstruction—Any operation in the abdomen can leave behind scar tissue that can put the patient at risk for later bowel blockage. 
  • Laparoscopic surgery risks—Laparoscopic surgery uses punctures to enter the abdomen and can lead to injury of any abdominal organ, bleeding and death. 
  • Need for and side effects of drugs—All drugs have inherent risks and in some cases cause a wide variety of side effects, though rare, including death. 
  • Risks of transfusion—Including Hepatitis, and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), from the administration of blood and/or blood components, though rare. 
  • Hernia—Cuts in the abdominal wall can lead to hernias after surgery. 
  • Hair loss—Many patients develop hair loss for a short period after operation. This usually responds to increased levels of vitamins. 
  • Vitamin and mineral deficiencies—Patients must take vitamin and mineral supplements forever to protect themselves from these problems. 
  • Complications of pregnancy—Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can put the newborn babies of LAGB mothers at risk and patients must be certain not to miss any of their vitamins if they decide to go ahead with pregnancy later. 
  • Other—major abdominal surgery, including Laparoscopic AGB is associated with a large variety of other risks and complications, both recognized and unrecognized that occur both soon after and long after the operation. 
  • Depression—Depression is a common medical illness and has been found to be particularly common in the first weeks after operation. 
  • Slippage of band—The band may move down the stomach, though sutures are placed to prevent this, and may require re-operation, removal, infection or abscess. 
  • Port complications—The port my become infected making necessary removal, replacement via re-operation, pain or visual appearance through the skin. 
  • Conversion to open approach—All patients consented for laparoscopic operations can be converted to an open approach for any reason deemed necessary at the time of the procedure. 
  • Failure to lose weight—Even with appropriate adjustment and proper follow-up, failure of weight loss may occur. 
  • Death

Effectiveness

Post-surgery weight loss varies from patient to patient and depends in part on a number of factors:

  •  Age 
  •  Pre-surgery weight
  •  Overall health
  •  Surgical procedure chosen
  •  Ability to exercise
  •  Commitment to dietary changes, counseling, and follow-up care
  •  Personal motivation and support from family, friends, and others

In general, patients tend to lose weight quickly following surgery and continue to reduce weight for 1.5 to 2 years. Excess weight can drop by 30% to 50% within six months and increase to 77% by the end of the first year. What's more remarkable is that many patients maintain this weight loss for years or even decades.