Daniel Hoeltgen, MD:

• Bariatric Surgery Medical Director at Good Shepherd
• Completed first bariatric operation at Good Shepherd
• Over 20 years of experience in bariatric surgery.

Daniel Wool, MD:

• Over 10 years of bariatric surgery experience
• Completed bariatric fellowship at Stanford University under supervision of previous ASMBS president

Bariatric Surgery Q & A

What Are Bariatric Surgeries?

Morbid obesity is a growing problem in the United States. Bariatric surgery is the only proven method of enduring weight loss. It is a powerful tool when combined with regular exercise and dietary changes. Bariatric surgery can help cure or improve: diabetes, high blood pressure, acid reflux, sleep apnea, high cholesterol, degenerative arthritis, depression, and fatty liver disease. In addition, bariatric surgery may also improve your quality of life, reduce the risk of developing certain cancers, and increase your life expectancy. 

Bariatric surgeries are used to limit the space available in the stomach to help patients who are overweight to eat less and build healthier diets. Some of the most common bariatric surgeries include the laparoscopic adjustable band (lap band), a gastric bypass, and a gastric sleeve. Surgeries are performed either laparoscopically. Dr. Hoeltgen and Dr. Wool use da Vinci Robotic surgery technology for many of these procedures.

What Is a Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Band?

A laparoscopic adjustable band, or lap-band, is a surgically inserted band used to help patients lose weight. The lap band reduces a patient’s stomach capacity by placing a band around the entry point to the stomach, only allowing a small amount of food to enter at a time. This reduces the speed at which a person eats as well as the amount of food that can be eaten in one sitting. Eating slowly allows the stomach more time to send satiety signals to the brain, allowing the patient to feel full faster and stay full for a longer period of time.

What Is a Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass?

This is the most tried and true method of surgery. Patients with a BMI (body mass index) of more than 40 and who suffer from diabetes are the prime candidates for this type of surgery. The procedure is done by making the stomach smaller by creating a small pouch at the top. This pouch is connected directly to the middle portion of the small intestine. The food bypasses the rest of the stomach and the upper portion of the small intestine. This procedure is most often done with small laparoscopic instruments. Barrington Surgeons is one of the select few practices to perform this procedure using the da Vinci surgical robot. Patients lose approximately 75 percent of their excess weight within the first 1 to 2 years after surgery.

What Is a Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy?

This bariatric operation has become the most popular in the United States. In this procedure, weight loss is achieved by removing more than 85 percent of the stomach. This procedure creates gastric restriction as well as hormonal changes. In some cases, the sleeve gastrectomy can be later converted to a gastric bypass in order to achieve greater weight loss. The Sleeve Gastrectomy can typically result in 60 percent of excess weight loss in the first year postoperatively.

Who Benefits from Bariatric Surgeries?

Bariatric surgery is not for everyone. Patients who meet the following criteria are most likely to find success through these treatments:

• Have a BMI of 35 to 39 with an obesity-related condition
• Have a BMI > 40
• Are at least 18 years old
• Are not currently pregnant
• Are prepared to make major life changes
• Do not drink alcohol excessively
• Other serious attempts to lose weight have been unsuccessful
• Not suffering from any type of condition which could have caused you to gain weight
• Are in good overall health

Learn more about Bariatric Surgery Here!