Is Weight Loss Surgery Safe?
The short answer is: YES, WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY IS SAFE! Unfortunately, only about 5% of individuals who are considered to be clinically obese will lose weight on their own with diet and exercise. For the other 95% of Americans who suffer from the debilitating disease of obesity, diet and exercise simply don’t work and weight loss surgery is the safest, most effective way to achieve realistic weight loss and reverse obesity-related health problems. Of course, “safe” is a relative term: every surgical procedure carries risks of complication, side effects, and even death. However, metabolic and bariatric surgery is “safe” in two critical ways:
- Weight loss surgery is just as safe as any other major surgical procedure! The risk of serious side effects, operative and post-operative complications, and even death are statistically similar to other major surgeries. According to a March 2014 publication of JAMA Surgery, only 17% of all bariatric surgeries performed between 2003 and 2012 involved any complications, while only 7% required reoperation. Death rate from weight loss surgery in that same time frame was only about .1%, better than both gallbladder surgery (.7%) and hip replacement (.93%).
- The risks presented by obesity-related health problems are greater than the risks presented by weight loss surgery! If you are obese, you have a greater chance of dying of a heart attack, suffering from a stroke, or living with significant complications from type 2 diabetes than you do from dying or suffering major complications from weight loss surgery. When you take into account the fact that weight loss surgery, especially gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy, can offer effective treatment for weight-related health problems, it becomes strikingly clear that when it comes to weight loss surgery, the benefits vastly outweigh the risks!
The fact is that weight loss surgery is safer and more effective than at any time in the past, and now offers patients a realistic way to effect significant weight loss, as well as address and treat many obesity-related health problems. Selecting a highly-trained, experienced surgeon like Dr. Wiljon Beltre, lead surgeon at Beltre Bariatrics Center for Metabolic and Obesity Surgery in Maitland, Florida, increases the safety of these procedures even more. Dr. Wiljon Beltre is a fellowship-trained, Board Certified surgeon who is dedicated to the safety and comfort of his patients, and therefore offers only the most advanced, cutting-edge surgical procedures. And when these procedures are performed at a surgical practice that takes a comprehensive, holistic approach to weight loss, you can rest assured that weight loss surgery is the safest, best way to lose the weight you want and to keep it off to restore your health, your well-being, and your self-confidence!
The short answer is: YES, WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY IS SAFE!
New Surgical Techniques Make Metabolic Surgery Safer Than Ever
Metabolic and bariatric surgeries are so safe today largely because of the development of precise surgical procedures and small, high-tech equipment that minimize both incision size and disruption of surrounding organs and tissues. The application of laparoscopic surgical techniques to metabolic and bariatric surgery have made these procedures significantly safer than traditional “open” surgeries. During a laparoscopic surgery, the surgeon will make several small incisions near the surgical site, then insert trochars (sharp, hollow, pen-shaped tubes) through the incisions. The surgeon will pass a video camera through one trochar, enabling him to view inside the body via a live video feed in the operating room, while the other trochars allow the insertion of surgical instruments and objects such as the gastric band. This technique involves significantly smaller incisions, leading to less post-operative pain and discomfort and minimizing visible scarring. It also reduces recovery times and significantly diminishes the risk of infection and complications such as hernia, leading to an increase in the comfort, safety, and effectiveness of metabolic surgical procedures.
Contact Beltre Bariatrics Center For Metabolic and Obesity Surgery
The Center for Metabolic and Obesity Surgery, located in Maitland, Florida, we offer a proven, multifaceted approach to metabolic and bariatric surgery that will empower you to achieve your weight loss goals, improve your health and appearance, and rebuild your self-confidence. Led by esteemed, Board Certified surgeon Dr. Wiljon Beltre, one of the only fellowship-trained bariatric surgeons in Central Florida, we specialize in the latest cutting-edge procedures for safe, effective surgical weight loss coupled with a dedicated support team of caring, experienced specialists who will stand by your side to support you throughout your entire weight loss journey. Significant weight loss is not easy, but with the help of with our confidential consultation and education process, the surgical skill and experience of our medical team, and the advice and guidance of our ongoing support network, we can help you achieve the lasting weight loss success you have been dreaming about.
If you are tired of the endless rounds of fad dieting and fruitless exercise regimens and think you may be ready for significant weight loss with metabolic or bariatric surgery, or if you would like more information on all of the weight loss surgery options at Beltre Bariatrics Center for Metabolic and Obesity Surgery, contact us today for a free, individual consultation. We look forward to helping you start your weight loss journey today!
DISCLAIMER: Metabolic surgery involves a lifetime commitment to significant lifestyle changes, and is not for everyone. Individual results differ depending on each patient’s medical history and willingness and ability to adhere to the weight loss program specified by Dr. Beltre. As with all surgical procedures, all forms of metabolic surgery carry the risk of complications and side effects; additional details about potential complications, side effects, and other risks will be provided to you by Dr. Beltre during your pre-surgical consultations.
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The doctors at Beltre Bariatrics Center for Metabolic & Obesity Surgery have reviewed and approved this content.
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