Weight loss surgery

In general, many insurance carriers will cover all or part of surgical weight loss procedures for eligible people. However, we always recommend one of the first things you do is reach out to your insurance carrier if you think you may need or want bariatric surgery. Take notes on that call, including who you spoke with and what steps they require you to complete before they will cover your procedure.

Then, connect with our bariatric specialists to move the process along. We can help you determine if you are a good candidate for weight loss surgery and what types of procedures may benefit you the most.

Patient Guide and Checklist

Bariatric surgery is proven to be the single best way people can have successful, lasting long-term weight loss. Yet we find many people who suffer from obesity don't pursue weight loss surgery because they believe it's "the easy way out." This is simply not true.

For one thing, having bariatric surgery doesn't change the fact that you will have to do a lot of work (and we'll help you with this). After the procedure, you will have to make a personal commitment to lifestyle changes every single day for the rest of your life — the same way you would if you didn't have the surgery.

More importantly, you deserve to be healthier. We hope you will give us the opportunity to show you how our bariatric program can help you do that.

Some of the weight loss surgeries we offer include:

Adjustable gastric banding

The adjustable gastric band system (sometimes known as a "lap band") uses a silicone band around the upper part of the stomach. It makes you feel full faster because the band regulates the amount of food that passes through your digestive tract.

Gastric bypass

Gastric bypass surgery (sometimes called "Roux-en-Y gastric bypass") involves making the stomach smaller and bypassing part of the small intestine. This is both a restrictive (restricting the amount of food you eat) and malabsorptive (decreasing the amount of calories you absorb) procedure. This is one of the most common bariatric surgeries, offering typical weight loss of 75 percent. It also significantly improves or completely resolves Type 2 diabetes, gastric reflux, hypertension and sleep apnea. It works by reducing food intake as well as decreasing the nutrients and calories your body is able to absorb.

Sleeve gastrectomy

Sleeve gastrectomy (sometimes called "vertical sleeve gastrectomy") involves removing 75 to 80 percent of the stomach. This is a restrictive procedure and is the most common weight loss surgery. It works because the stomach is smaller and the "hunger hormones" in your gastrointestinal tract are decreased. This means you can eat less and your appetite is also reduced. It offers you not only significant long-term weight loss of greater than 65 percent but also improves or resolves Type 2 diabetes, hypertension and sleep apnea.

Duodenal switch (DS) surgery

DS with biliary pancreatic diversion (sometimes known as biliary pancreatic diversion with duodenal switch or BPD-DS) involves both a sleeve gastrectomy and intestinal bypass. This helps you feel fuller faster and reduces the amount of food you can consume. It is one of the more complex procedures but also typically results in the highest (80 percent) and longest lasting, long-term weight loss. It also significantly improves or even resolves Type 2 diabetes, gastric reflux, hypertension and sleep apnea.

Revisional bariatric surgery

Bariatric surgeries are excellent treatment options that help many patients successfully lose weight. However, as with any surgery, some patients may not experience the results they want. In these cases, you may need follow-up or additional bariatric surgery. Because these patients have already had bariatric surgery before, this type of surgery is called "revisional" bariatric surgery.

This type of surgery is very complex and our teams know this procedure has to be personalized to your needs and unique situation. We will do everything we can to work with you in these cases. We will talk about your goals and discuss all your options with you to be sure you understand and feel comfortable with your treatment plan. Whether you had your initial surgery with us or at another facility, we can help you find a path forward in your weight loss journey.

We want to make sure you have access to advanced weight-loss techniques that help you become healthy as quickly as effectively as possible. To that end, we offer several of our surgeries using minimally invasive techniques, including endoscopic, laparoscopic and robot-assisted surgeries.

Endoscopic (nonsurgical) weight loss

We are proud to offer some procedures that can be performed endoscopically, meaning they are performed via a flexible scope through the mouth. This is the same way many standard outpatient scope procedures are performed in other medical fields. Endoscopic devices are nonsurgical, and they allow physicians to more easily place sutures and complete other steps involved in your procedure.

Some of the bariatric procedures we offer endoscopically include:

• Endoscopic gastric balloon
• Endoscopic bariatric revisions

Laparoscopic bariatric surgery

Minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery typically involves more incisions than robotic surgery, but fewer and smaller incisions than traditional surgery. In this type of surgery, a small scope connected to a video camera as well as surgical tools are inserted into the abdomen. It is less traumatic to the body than traditional surgery, which typically results in a faster recovery.

Some of the bariatric procedures we perform laparoscopically include:

• Laparoscopic gastric banding
• Laparoscopic gastric bypass
• Laparoscopic gastric sleeve
• Laparoscopic revisional surgery

Robot-assisted bariatric surgery

Surgery that is assisted by robotic technology is performed by a surgeon but uses robotic implements. For weight loss surgery, we also offer supporting robotic technology such as a robotic stapling that allows us to determine the exact right placement and depth for staples during your procedure. This helps your surgical team make more precise movements and uses smaller incisions. As a result, robot-assisted surgery allows patients to be in and out of surgery quicker and enables them to heal faster afterward.

Some of the robotic bariatric surgeries we offer include:

• Robotic adjustable gastric band
• Robotic gastric bypass;
• Robotic single-incision adjustable gastric band
• Robotic sleeve gastrectomy

After a bariatric procedure, your diet and lifestyle will be different from what they previously were. Ideally, you will begin these changes before your surgery, to give you a head start on leading a healthier life.

Our teams will help you understand what this entails, what you can do now and what you will need to do later. They will develop diet and exercise plans that apply specifically to you to ensure you can have long-term success in losing weight.

As part of this, our weight loss programs also include:

• Certified bariatric nurses (CBNs) who coordinate your care and offer you ongoing encouragement- and support
• Pre- and postoperative education and support groups
• Size-friendly furniture, equipment and accommodations designed for the safety and comfort of our patients and their guests
• Special hospital classifications and programs for adolescents who need surgery to lose weight
• Weight loss teams who assess, monitor and counsel you on your progress

Our most successful patients are those who maintain a lifelong engagement with our programs after their surgery. Here, our bariatric surgeons and specialists are here to make you feel strong, confident and supported in taking charge of your health. We will give you all the encouragement and tools you need to lose weight and keep it off.

That's why our weight loss teams include many different types of specialists, including team members who are trained in other areas, such as: 

• Behavioral health support, including support groups and psychologists trained in weight loss psychology
• Nutritional support-including personalized meal and dietary plans as well as in-depth education about healthy eating and the vitamins you may need after surgery
• Related-condition support-including care for heart disease and sleep apnea, which are common obesity-related health issues

These services include our many support groups and other resources that you can take advantage of as you lose weight and adjust to life after surgery.

We will help you all along the way, and you can always reach out to our staff with any questions or concerns both before and after your procedure.