There are various risks of weight loss surgery which will be brought out in this section, however it’s important to start out by noting some general risk issues and facts about weight loss surgery with the WeightWise Bariatric Program:

• As with any surgery, the risk-to-benefit ratio must be considered, and unless the results are in favor of surgery, the procedure will not be recommended by our surgeons.
• Our surgeons have over 20 years of experience performing weight loss surgeries and are familiar with most of the complications which may arise during surgery. While we cannot guarantee that you will have a complication-free surgery, your surgeon will remain committed to you and your well-being until any problems you have are resolved.
• Risks for patients in the WeightWise program are equal to or better than those on a national level.

Whether a patient undergoes a gastric bypass or a Lap-Band procedure, they will be going through major surgery and will be under general anesthesia. Because the patient comes in at a weight that already causes health problems, be aware that their body’s ability to successfully handle the stress of surgery may already be compromised.

In gastric bypass surgery the stomach and intestines are dramatically changed as they are moved, altered and repositioned. The procedure also results in lasting changes to the gastrointestinal and bowel systems. While not at the complex degree of a coronary bypass, gastric bypass is not too less intricate.

The Lap-Band procedure, while still considered major surgery, usually does not have as significant an impact on a patient’s body as the gastric bypass. The Band is a synthetic piece of material inserted into the patient’s body and is designed to remain there for the rest of their life, as it works to alter and regulate the stomach. While not as invasive as the gastric bypass, it still results in a major change to the body’s digestive system.

As with any surgery there are problems which can occur, and they include those related specifically to weight loss surgery and those associated with the stress on the body that comes with any major surgery. The fact is, death can and has occurred as a result of weight loss surgery. For patients having any of the weight loss surgical procedures the risk of death nationwide has been found to be about one out of 200, or 0.5%.

Within the WeightWise Bariatric Program the risk of death for all patients is about one out of 500, or 0.2%. The following conditions usually present an increased risk for the patient:

• BMI greater than 60
• Organ failure or weakness
• Prior stomach surgery
• Presence of a large incisional hernia
• Restricted mobility (having to use a walker or motorized device)
• Prior use of tobacco or cigarettes (patients must be tobacco-free prior to surgery)
• Oral steroid medications
• Prior blood clot in legs or a blood clot going to lungs (DVT or PE)

For those patients who do not have the conditions listed above, the risk of death within the WeightWise program is less than one in 1,000, or below 0.1%.

Regardless of the risk category a patient falls into, the risk for death is an actual one. Prior to the surgery patients should take steps to prepare for that possibility, such as creating a will and similar personal documents. We highly recommend that you take the opportunity to have a comprehensive discussion with your surgeon about the risks of weight loss surgery.

Finally, the involvement of family, friends and other loved ones in the decision to have weight loss surgery is an important and, we think, necessary step. Solid support from family members and others who have a close relationship with the patient is crucial to their success with the overall process.