The physician’s education, knowledge and reputation, including specialized training in bariatric surgery and experience in performing surgical weight loss procedures.

Though many surgical procedures can be performed in a doctor’s office-based facility or an outpatient facility, it is still important that you determine whether or not a doctor has operating privileges in an accredited hospital for the same procedure that you are undergoing. Having operating privileges indicates that a surgeon’s training and competency for specific procedures has been reviewed by a hospital committee.

Dr. George Kerlakian performs all the weight loss surgeries at Good Samaritan Hospital. He has been performing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery since 2001, and began performing laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (Lap-Band) in May 2006. Read more about Dr. Kerlakian.

Candidates for surgery are usually at least 100 pounds over their ideal body weight. Another measure of obesity is the body mass index (BMI) The body mass index is your height in kilograms divided by the square of your height in meters. There are several web sites that have body mass calculators. Generally a body mass of 40 or higher qualifies for surgery, or over 35 with certain health problems called co-morbidities.

Most patients lose weight rapidly for 18 to 24 months after surgery. Some patients may then regain some of their lost weight, although few will regain it all. Surgery also improves most obesity related health problems, such as diabetes.

There are several different kinds of surgical procedures to help people who are significantly overweight. By reducing the size of the stomach, these procedures restrict the amount of food you can consume. Long-term success depends in large part on permanently following a restricted diet and making major lifestyle changes.

This really depends on the type of weight loss surgery you have and the type of job you do. For lap band surgery the procedures are usually done laparoscopically and don't require stapling or rearranging of your stomach anatomy, thus your hospitalization is usually less than 24 hours. And your recovery can be as little as a few days. For gastric bypass surgery, most patients can proceed with a regular activities after 6 weeks.

The lap band procedure is reversible and does not modify your internal anatomy. Stomach stapling is designed to be permanent, but in general gastric bypass procedures are reversible. But ask your doctor about your specific procedure.

New York Bariatrics does not adhere to a rigid upper age limit. If a patient is in reasonably good health and does not pose an unacceptable surgical risk, then surgery will be offered. The oldest patient having weight loss surgery at White Plains Hospital was in her seventies and has had an excellent result.

It's important that you do your homework and carefully choose the surgeon to perform your procedure. First, make sure that the surgeon is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons (ABPS). This ensures that they've completed the proper training to safely conduct your procedure according ABPS standards. You can visit the ABPS's website at www.plasticsurgery.org to locate a certified plastic surgeon in your area. You should also ask any potential surgeon the following questions:

A3. Patients undergo a thorough screening process at the Weight loss institute of Arizona to identify whether they are appropriate candidates for surgery. Surgical candidates need to be at least 100 pounds overweight. A more accurate measurement is the Body Mass Index or BMI. Surgical candidates need to have a BMI above 30 or a BMI above 30 with other obesity-related conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.

You will want to obtain a copy of your current insurance policy to determine if these procedures are covered. Insurance details can be difficult to navigate, and our insurance specialists will gladly assist you in determining if these procedures are a covered benefit in your plan.

Weight loss surgery is considered successful when 50% of excess weight is lost and the loss is sustained up to five years. For example, a patient who is 100 pounds overweight should lose at least 50 pounds; a patient who is 200 pounds overweight should lose at least 100 pounds. And they should be able to maintain loss successfully for the following five years. Ninety-five percent of patients reach that goal after gastric bypass surgery.

If you're lucky, the weight loss institution you choose will handle insurance matters for you. In any event, you might be surprised to learn that many insurance companies will cover the treatment of health problems caused by obesity but not obesity itself. So it is a good idea to have a basic understanding of what your insurance will cover prior to setting up a meeting with a bariatric surgeon.

Your personal surgical history and the technique to be used are discussed at your surgical consultation.

Discharge planning begins before your surgery as we begin to identify any needs that you may specifically have after surgery. Please take time to talk with our team about any concerns you have regarding your care at home.

It's important that you do your homework and carefully choose the surgeon to perform your procedure. First, make sure that the surgeon is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons (ABPS). This ensures that they've completed the proper training to safely conduct your procedure according ABPS standards. You can visit the ABPS's website at www.plasticsurgery.org to locate a certified plastic surgeon in your area. You should also ask any potential surgeon the following questions:

It is important to choose a surgeon who is qualified to perform your procedure and who has a comprehensive program for post-operative follow-up. Here are some important criteria: A program with hospital facilities, supplies and equipment specific to the needs of weightloss surgery patients A comprehensive team approach and procedures that address weight-related health conditions, dietary instruction, exercise training, nursing care and psychological counseling (if necessary)

What can I do before my initial appointment with my bariatric surgeon to speed up the process? [information source: www.sabariatric.com]

Dr. Courcoulas never asked that I lose any weight before surgery, but when my PCP's scales at his office added 20 lbs to my frame over the course of 5 months, I started taking Slim Fast. Mind you, I did it in a different way than what they recommend. I tried to take it for breakfast, and lunch, and then have a good dinner, but I was hungry all day until dinner time. What I did instead was to have a HUGE breakfast, then a shake for lunch, and a shake for dinner.

The most common operations are adjustable open Gastric Bypass and Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass. With both procedures, the size of the area in stomach where food collects is reduced and a portion of the small intestine is bypassed limiting absorbtion. During (Roux-en-Y) Gastric Bypass, a surgeon creates a small pouch at the top of the stomach using staples. The small intestine is then rearranged and connected directly to the pouch, creating a bypass of the small intestine.

Women should avoid pregnancy for at least 18 months after surgery. Please discuss any pregnancy plans with your surgeon during one of your clinic appointments.

Surgery for weight loss is a decision between a doctor and a patient. People who do have surgery or who have had weight reduction surgery should be aware of two things. First, there are at least ten different types of surgery for weight loss. Each effects how the body gets the nutrients it needs. For example, people who have undergone Roux-en-Y surgery generally require certain nutrients in supplemental doses for the rest of their life.

Weight loss surgery is for patients who are morbidly obese (100 lbs above their ideal body weight) with a BMI of >40, or > 35 with co-morbidities.

Weight-loss surgery alters the body's digestive process by limiting the amount of food the stomach can hold and/or by limiting the absorption of nutrients. The most common procedures are restrictive, malabsorptive or a combination of both procedures. Restrictive procedures reduce the amount of food the stomach can hold, but don't interfere with the body's normal digestion of food and nutrients.