Home » News » Health Brief: Baptist Golden Triangle’s Bariatric Surgery Program helps kick-start new lifestyle for patients
Baptist Golden Triangle’s new Bariatric Surgery program offers more than just a surgical option to weight loss. It is the starting point on a road to a lifetime of good health.
In many cases, patients see potential life-threatening diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes disappears along with the excess body fat.
Baptist general surgeons Brad Beckham, MD and Hernan Sanchez, MD are the only two bariatric surgeons in the Golden Triangle. The two have been performing the minimally invasive gastric sleeve procedure since the program saw its first four patients in May with more procedures scheduled each week.
The program accepts all patients for evaluation for weight loss management. While not everyone will be a candidate for weight loss surgery, the program can still offer a comprehensive weight loss program with nutrition and lifestyle modification guidance.
Baptist’s program is the only one in the area that offers the convenience of having the required psychological and dietary pre-surgery counseling, the physicians’ office and surgical suites all at one location, said Leslie Taylor, program nurse manager.
Psychological counseling is necessary to identify any underlying eating disorders and prepare the patient for lifestyle modifications. Dietitians ask the patient for a 24-hour food recall or a list of food and drink they have had for the previous 24 hours along with how many meals they have eaten; dining out habits; and also talk to the patient about the importance of eating three meals and one snack a day; and they calculate protein intake for post-surgery goals.
The actual procedure takes about an hour and involves the surgeon removing about 75 percent of the patient’s stomach. The remaining part is stapled together to create a newer, smaller stomach, about the size of a banana, Beckham said. The part of the stomach that is removed produces ghrelin, known as the hunger hormone. This means you will feel hunger less often and still have energy to go about your day.
Most people go home the next day and can return to work in about a week, unless they have a very strenuous job. In that case, Beckham said he recommends at least two weeks of healing time.
While the amount of weight loss is up to the patient and his or her level of compliance to their eating plan, the surgery is considered successful if the patient loses 50 percent of their excess body weight, said Taylor. “We want to get them out of the obese category, which should reduce their health risk factors.” She added.
The procedure is covered by traditional Medicare and most private health insurance companies, although each has its own specific pre-qualifications. The program also offers an upfront ‘cash pay’ option for those with no insurance or whose insurance does not cover the procedure, Taylor said. For more information, please call 662-241-4223.
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