Surgery to produce weight loss is a serious undertaking. The Bon Secours Surgical Weight Loss Center is committed to educating each patient about what the proposed operation involves. Patients should carefully consider the following benefits and risks before deciding to have the gastric bypass procedure.
Benefits
Following surgery, most patients lose weight rapidly and continue to do so for 18 to 24 months. Approximately 75% of patients will lose and keep off 50% - 80% of their excess weight.
Medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, elevated cholesterol, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and sleep apnea commonly improve after the surgery.
Improvements in longevity.
Significantly improved energy level for daily exercise, a positive sense of hope and increased self-confidence.
Risks
No major surgery is without risk.
Nationally, there is a 1% mortality (death) rate for obesity surgery. The overall complication rate for this surgery nationally is about 10%. This means that one in ten patients will experience a complication related to the surgery.
