Q: Is weight-loss surgery safe?

Ask Our Expert About Weight-Loss Surgery

About Our Experts

Richard Boorse, M.D. surgeon, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network

Peter Rovito, M.D. surgeon, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network

• Is weight-loss surgery safe?
• How do I know if I qualify for gastric bypass surgery?
• How do I prepare for surgery?
• How will my life be different after surgery?
• Will I need plastic surgery afterward?
• How can I learn more?

Q: Is weight-loss surgery safe?

A: The most common type of weight-loss surgery is called gastric bypass, or roux-en-y. It helps you lose weight in two ways. It creates a smaller stomach, so you feel full faster. It also enables food to bypass the remainder of your stomach and part of your small intestine, so your body won’t absorb all the calories you take in. We perform gastric bypass using just five or six small incisions, as opposed to an open technique. This means you will experience less pain and recover faster. The surgery takes between 90-180 minutes, and you will be in the hospital for 1-3 days afterward.

Gastric bypass surgery is very effective. You can lose up to 80 percent of your excess body weight within five years. However, gastric bypass carries greater risk for complications because it is a more involved procedure. The national mortality rates for gastric bypass surgery range from .5 percent to 1 percent (about 1 in 200 or 1 in 100). In addition to surgery itself, your physical and mental condition prior to surgery influences your risk.

Like with any major surgery, weight-loss surgery has risks and potential complications. You have to balance those risks against the health risks of obesity, which can cause diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and other serious conditions.

Q: How do I know if I qualify for gastric bypass surgery?

A: Gastric bypass surgery is not a quick fix, and it is not for everybody. Your eligibility is based on your body mass index (BMI); a measurement of your body fat based on your height and weight. You qualify if your BMI is 40 or above, or if it’s 35 and you have additional medical risks like heart disease or diabetes. If you think you may qualify and you are considering having the surgery, it’s best to talk first with your family physician. He can refer you to a surgeon when you are ready to take the next step.

Q: How do I prepare for surgery?

A: If you choose gastric bypass surgery, you will need to go through many steps. You may need approval from your health insurance provider, and also may need to document any physician-approved weight-loss programs you have completed. We ask all patients to undergo a psychiatric evaluation to help pinpoint any underlying causes of weight gain. You may also need to complete other health tests—a stress test for your heart or a sleep study, for example—if you have other health risks.

You also will be asked to participate in The N-E-W You (N-E-W for nutrition, exercise and weight management), a Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network program. It includes classes to teach you about your post-surgery diet, and a support group where you will hear from local people who had gastric bypass surgery. You will also meet with Theresa Piotrowski, M.D., a family medicine physician specially educated in weight management. She is the only such doctor (called a bariatrician) in the region.

Q: How will my life be different after surgery?

A: Your first step after surgery will be learning to eat again. Your stomach will only be able to hold about 2 ounces of food or liquid immediately after surgery. We will recommend a diet for you that will gradually take you from clear liquids to soft foods and finally back to solid food. This process typically lasts several weeks. You will lose a majority of your weight within the first year after surgery, though more gradual weight loss continues for about five years total.

Gastric bypass surgery is a lifelong commitment to diet and exercise. That’s why nutritional classes before surgery are so important. After surgery, you will likely enjoy different foods than you did before. You are also likely to have more energy due to your weight loss, which will make exercise easier. Maintaining a healthy diet and exercising will keep you from regaining the weight lost through surgery.

To help adjust to the new changes, you may find comfort in talking to someone who has been through gastric bypass surgery. The N-E-W You support group is open to both past and future patients and offers ongoing guidance.

Q: Will I need plastic surgery afterward?

A: For most patients, plastic surgery is not medically necessary. It is only needed if it causes health or hygiene problems, such as an inability to wash properly due to excess skin or irritation from skin-on-skin contact. Some health insurance companies will not cover plastic surgery unless it is medically necessary. However, about half of all people who have gastric bypass choose to have plastic surgery at some point.

Q: How can I learn more?

A: The NEW You support group isn’t just for people who choose surgery—it’s also for people who are deciding whether surgery is right for them. We encourage you to attend a meeting, hear the stories and join in the discussion. For support group dates and times, call 610-402-CARE.

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