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Weight Loss Surgery: An Investment in Health
While weight loss surgery can help a person look better, the health benefits can also be substantial. According to James R. Wallace, MD, PhD, Medical College of Wisconsin surgeon, bariatric surgery helps obese people overcome many serious diseases.
“Weight loss surgery makes diabetes go away,” Dr. Wallace said. “It reverses high cholesterol, helps control high blood pressure and stops the progression of joint disease.” Other conditions that improve after the surgery include heart disease and sleep apnea.
Because it reverses many chronic illnesses, weight loss surgery is a cost-effective procedure. “If you have significant medical problems, the ‘return on investment’ for bariatric surgery is just a few years,” Dr. Wallace said. “For example, people with diabetes can reach the break-even point on the cost of medications versus surgery in just over two years.”
Dr. Wallace is the director of the Bariatric Surgery Program at Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin. He noted that for many, weight loss surgery is the only way to overcome obesity. “With dieting and exercise, you may lose up to 10 percent of your body weight — if you are rigorous— for a short time,” he said. “With weight loss surgery, you can lose 30 percent to 40 percent of your weight and keep it off for life.”
The Bariatric Surgery Program provides complete support and lifelong follow-up to help patients achieve permanent weight loss. It includes a comprehensive team of surgeons, nurses, dietitians, psychologists, physical therapists and other skilled caregivers. Surgeons offer the full range of procedure options, including laparoscopic surgery and adjustable gastric banding.
“Six months or a year later, patients are no longer taking nine medications a day or no longer need insulin,” said Matthew I. Goldblatt, MD, FACS, Medical College of Wisconsin surgeon. “For many, beating diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes can save their lives. Some people celebrate their surgery date, because it’s like a rebirth.”
The Bariatric Surgery Program outperforms national benchmarks for quality and safety. For more information on bariatric surgery, call 414-805-3666 or 800-372-3666.
Source: Froedtert Today Date: January 2010 |
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