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Bariatric Surgery Program
The Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin Bariatric Surgery Program is truly unique. It trains bariatric surgeons, maintains an extensive database of patients, and has changed the lives of hundreds of people who struggled with severe obesity.
Roux Y Gastric Bypass
Our surgeons have performed more than 1,000 laparoscopic Roux Y Gastric Bypass surgeries. With this method, patients can anticipate a shorter recovery time than with open surgery. (The laparoscopic option may not be appropriate for all, and will be offered as appropriate based on a thorough review of each patient’s medical history and current health.)
With the Roux Y Gastric Bypass, there is very little interference with normal absorption of food — the operation works by reducing food intake and the feeling of hunger. The result is a very early sense of fullness, followed by a very profound sense of satisfaction. Patients continue to enjoy eating — but they enjoy eating a lot less.
During the procedure, the stomach is divided and separated with a special stapler in order to create a small stomach pouch. The new stomach is roughly one half ounce in size. The small intestine is then cut about 2 feet below the stomach and reconnected to the new stomach pouch. A small opening between the stomach and the intestine — about the size of a dime — is made to allow food to empty slowly from the pouch. The lower part of the stomach is bypassed, but digestive juices, bile and stomach acids flow normally, eventually mixing with and digesting food.
Patients who undergo the surgery must adopt strict eating habits for personal health and comfort. By carefully adhering to required eating habits and nutritional intake, and by engaging in a prescribed exercise program, patients are expected to lose 60 to 80 percent of their excess body weight over the first 18 to 24 months following Roux Y Gastric Bypass. Additionally, the surgery has been shown to vastly improve obesity-related health conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and sleep apnea.
Patient DatabaseAt the Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin Bariatric Surgery Program, we keep our staff busy with a database of more than 1,000 bariatric patients. By updating medical records and keeping in contact with our patients after the operation, our nurses can continue to watch for warning signs and guard against dangerous habits like stress or emotional eating, depression or eating disorders. Our Follow-Up Clinic is ready and able to intervene to support our patients at the first sign of psychological or physical stress.
Incredible StoriesWhen Jodi Anderson was evaluated for her surgery in July 2002, she weighed 540 pounds and had a body mass index of 83, which classified her as super-obese. She underwent gastric bypass surgery in March 2003, and at her last visit to the Follow-Up Clinic she weighed 280 pounds!
Karen Pierce entered the program weighing 277 pounds and has lost 127 pounds over the course of a year and a half. She now walks four miles a day.
Teacher Lois Calloway knew to do her homework before her surgery, researching many options before deciding on the Bariatric Surgery Program at Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin. Now, 115 pounds lighter, Lois has gained a ton of energy — and a new perspective.
Author: Bridget McFarland Source: Deb Andris, Bariatric Surgery Program Nurse Practitioner Last Review Date: July 29, 2005 Online Editor(s): Tamara Kroll |
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