Am I a candidate for weight loss surgery or procedures?

Am I a candidate for weight loss surgery or procedures?

The Gastric Band System may be right for you if:

•     You are at least 18 years old.
•     Your BMI is 30 or higher
•     You have been overweight for more than 5 years.
•     Your serious attempts to lose weight have had only short-term success.
•     You do not have any other disease that may have caused your obesity.
•     You are prepared to make substantial changes in your eating habits and lifestyle.
•     You are willing to continue being monitored by the specialist who is treating you.
•     You do not drink alcohol in excess.

If you do not meet the BMI or weight criteria, you still may be considered for surgery if your BMI is over 35 and you are suffering from serious health problems related to obesity.

Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy may be right for you if:

•  Your BMI is 30 or higher

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is a surgical weight-loss procedure in which the stomach is reduced to about 25% of its original size, by surgical removal of a large portion of the stomach, following the major curve. The open edges are then attached together (often with surgical staples) to form a sleeve or tube with a banana shape. The procedure permanently reduces the size of the stomach. The procedure is performed laparoscopically and is not reversible.

The Intragastric Balloon (BIB® System) may be right for you if:

• Your BMI is 27 or higher

The BIB® System is designed to assist with weight loss in people who are at least 40% above their ideal weight (as defined by the Metropolitan Life Insurance 1983 Weight and Frame tables) and who have failed to obtain prolonged weight loss with other weight control programs.

The BIB® System may be particularly useful for people considered too overweight or at increased risk for vital surgery. The use of the BIB® System to successfully reduce weight prior to surgery may help reduce the risks associated with surgical procedures on overweight patients.

Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass may be right for you if:

•  Your BMI is 40 or higher or, 35 and higher if you have a weight-related health problem such as type II diabetes

Laparoscopic gastric bypass includes three different operations (Roux-En-Y, Loop; SIPS SADI). All three variations are characterised by a reduction in the size of the stomach by stapling or removing part of this organ, plus a change in the ability of the small bowel to absorb nutrients such as protein, calories, fats and vitamins (called ‘malabsorption’). This results in suppressed hunger and reduced stomach capacity which enable significant weight loss. In some cases, a laparoscopic gastric bypass can be reversed.