Pathway to Surgery

As a part of your preparation for surgery, your insurance may require a medically supervised diet. We can help you with that requirement. Prior to surgery, you will also be required to:

• Attend a support group meeting and weight loss education class.
The support group meeting gives you a realistic understanding of what to expect in this process by giving you the opportunity to talk with actual patients who have already completed surgery. The weight loss education class helps you prepare for surgery and post-operative life. You will learn how to eat properly after weight-loss surgery; what you will need at home when you return from the hospital; and how to reduce risks of complications after surgery. After completing the class, you will take an exam that will verify that you understand the principles communicated during the course. You will also receive resource materials to serve as postoperative references at home.
• Attend a meeting with an exercise physiologist. About one week before surgery, you will meet with your coordinators to ensure that everything has been done to optimize a safe and successful weight-loss experience. At this final visit, you will sign a letter of commitment.

These requirements are part of our multidisciplinary approach, a critical component for weight loss success. Our multidisciplinary weight loss team includes a surgeon, bariatric coordinators, an exercise physiologist, a registered dietician, designated care coordinators and the patient.

After you have completed these requirements, you are ready to begin your path to surgery, as follows:

Prior to surgery you will go through pre-operative testing which includes meeting with your anesthesiologist and undergoing lab work. Depending on your medical history, you may have an electrocardiogram (EKG) and/or a chest x-ray (CXR).
You also will receive general information about what to expect throughout your hospital stay.

You will arrive at the hospital or surgery center two hours before your procedure is scheduled. Family members or friends may accompany you. You will receive a
pre-operative injection of medicine to relieve anxiety.

You will start out in a holding room, where an IV will be placed in your arm. You will receive pre-operative medications and have a brief consultation with your surgeon.

Once you are in the operating room, you will be transferred from your holding room bed to the operating table, where you will receive anesthesia. Your operating room will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology to monitor all vital signs throughout the procedure. Your anesthesiologist will constantly monitor the appropriate level of anesthesia with a special machine.

Following surgery, you will be taken to the recovery room for continuous monitoring. You will be given medication through an IV for pain control. You will also receive oxygen. Most patients are in recovery for about two hours.

With no complications, you can expect to be in the hospital one night for a lap band procedure and two nights for a gastric bypass procedure. After being released from the hospital, you remain under our watchful care. Patients without complications have regular follow-up visits.