Bariatric Surgery

Bariatric surgery may be beneficial for people with a BMI of 35 or greater. Many medical societies also recommend that people with a BMI between 30-35 with obesity-related medical conditions (called co-morbidities), be considered for surgery.

Your care team will help you determine whether you qualify for weight loss surgery.

People with a BMI of 30 to 40 may also be candidates for an incision-less procedure called an ORBERA endoscopic balloon or medical weight loss options.

The decision to have bariatric surgery should not be urgent and it should not be the first attempt to lose weight. 

Typically, patients are required to have a history of failed weight loss attempts through a combination of diet and exercise. There may be program or insurance requirements that mandate a patient to have nutritional and lifestyle/exercise counseling prior to surgery.

A lifelong commitment to significant lifestyle changes after surgery is also essential to maintain your health. You must be dedicated and ready to make the required dietary, behavioral and exercise changes to assure you have a safe and successful surgery.

Ochsner’s multidisciplinary team includes medical weight loss providers, registered dietitians and surgical weight loss experts who will work with and support you for every step of your journey.

Pre-operative support

Before you begin your journey to surgical weight loss, you will learn more about the process and better understand your personal requirements and goals before surgery can take place. At some locations, the first step will be a consultation with a provider, while others will be group meetings.

Post-operative support

Every person who has bariatric surgery at Ochsner is a patient for life. This helps ensure you stay on track with your weight loss goals and maintain your health through required lab work and appointments.

Other post-operative support services available at Ochsner locations include:

• Behavioral modification counseling
• Certified lifestyle coaches
• Certified personal trainers
• Dietitians certified in weight management
• Ideal Protein Weight Loss Program: A protein-based health and fitness program
• Ochsner Fitness Center
• Psychological counseling
• Weight loss medications for those who need them

The cost of bariatric surgery is an invaluable investment in your health. Ochsner offers financial counseling and insurance navigation services for bariatric surgery patients to clarify and streamline the process.

Many of our locations ask you to meet with a financial counselor first, even before you see a provider. This means you have access to detailed information about the costs related to bariatric surgery and your financial responsibility before you even meet your surgeon.

Ochsner will verify your insurance benefits to determine if you have insurance coverage for weight loss surgery and if your facility of choice is in network.

Cash pay is an option for those who qualify for bariatric surgery but lack insurance coverage. Financing options may also be available through CareCredit, Prosper Healthcare Lending or Med Loan Finance.

Ochsner offers several types of bariatric surgeries and procedures, including minimally invasive and robotic-assisted options. Robotic-assisted surgeries often require less downtime and shorter hospital stays than traditional open surgeries.

• Adjustable gastric band removal: An adjustable gastric band, also called a LAP-BAND, is a silicone device that is wrapped around the top of the stomach, creating a small pouch. Because other techniques are often more effective, this procedure is less common than it used to be. If you do not lose weight with an adjustable gastric band or have complications, it may need to be removed. Once it is removed, another bariatric surgery may be done.
• Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: During a laparoscopic or robotic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, the surgeon divides the stomach into two sections, closing off one section and creating a thumb-size “new” stomach from the other. The intestines are then rerouted and connected to the new stomach. This surgery acts to reduce the amount of food that can fit in the stomach and lower the number of calories absorbed by the intestines.
• Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: Approximately 60% to 80% of the stomach is permanently removed in a laparoscopic or robotic sleeve gastrectomy, or gastric sleeve surgery. This creates a narrow passageway called a gastric sleeve that restricts the amount of food you can eat. As a result of the surgery, you will feel fuller faster and eat less.
• Biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch: During a biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch, a gastric sleeve is created. Then, the small intestine is disconnected from the stomach, and a lower part is reconnected to the stomach, bypassing a part of the small intestine. This laparoscopic or robotic-assisted procedure limits food intake and calorie absorption.
• Gastric balloon: The gastric balloon procedure involves placing a balloon in the stomach for about six months. Because the balloon fills up a portion of the stomach, it reduces the amount of food that can be eaten. Placing and removing the balloon is done without an incision, or surgical cut.

Bariatric surgery may help people with obesity lose weight, improve their quality of life and lower the risk or severity of obesity-related health problems, such as:

• Type 2 diabetes
• Heart disease
• High cholesterol
• High blood pressure (Hypertension)
• Joint pain
• Sleep apnea
• Some cancers

Many people who have weight loss surgery find that losing excess weight allows them to be more active. They may also see lower healthcare costs due to not needing as many medications or treatments to manage chronic health conditions. 

Plus, bariatric surgery can contribute to an improved mood and longer life.

While weight loss surgeries are common, they still have risks.

Bariatric surgeries can change how food and alcohol are broken down and absorbed in the body. This may lead to an increased risk of anemia or malnutrition or changes in how alcohol affects you. 

Other possible risks of bariatric surgery include:

• Blood clots
• Leakage from the staple line
• Bleeding
• Hernias
• Malnutrition
• Ulcers

Like all surgeries, bariatric surgeries also come with the risk of bleeding or infection.