Dr. Gonzalez explains how insufficient weight loss can occur after bariatric surgery.
Dr. Gonzalez:
Insufficient weight loss can occur for various factors. Number one is, “What operation did you have? If you had a laparoscopic adjustable band, are you having it adjusted? Are you on the correct diet program? Did you involve any exercise in there as well? Are you cheating with sweets and sugars and ice cream?”
So a laparoscopic adjustable band requires a large amount of compliance from the patient. The patient has to get that adjusted, has to control their sweet and sugar intake, and that could be a reason for insufficient weight loss in a LAP-BAND® or a REALIZE Band.
In regard to the gastric bypass, insufficient weight loss can occur if the patient once again, is grazing, in other words eating all day, having a big bag of potato chips in your desk and just eating that all day, yes, you may not lose a sufficient amount of weight.
But in addition to that, you can be checked by your surgeon, or a surgeon who has experience, in what we call revisional bariatric surgery, which is bariatric surgery to fix, or redo, any problems, and they can evaluate the pouch size, the size of the connection to determine if there are any other things necessary.
Currently there are multiple options for the patient that can fix, revise, up-date their gastric bypass in order to help them and put them back into line and lose weight again.
About Dr. Gonzalez, M.D.:
Anthony Gonzalez, M.D., is a general and bariatric surgeon at the Baptist Hospital of Miami and South Miami Hospital. He has been practicing medicine for more than 10 years and focuses his interest on bariatric surgery and laparoscopic surgery.
Visit Dr. Gonzalez at Baptist Health South Florida