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Bariatric Surgery in Austin

A Guide to Getting Weight Loss Surgery in Austin, Texas

Bariatric weight-loss surgery has become increasingly popular over the years. According to statistics from the National Institutes of Health, more than 100,000 people underwent some from of bariatric surgery last year, and these numbers continue to grow.

But despite the popularity of bariatric surgery, it is still surgery. And as with any other form of surgery, it must be considered carefully. That's where this tutorial comes into play. We have created this guide specifically for people who are considering bariatric surgery in the Austin area. So if you fall into this category, please keep reading for more helpful information about Austin bariatric surgery.

This article is not intended to be an all-inclusive lesson on weight loss surgery in Austin, Texas. On the contrary, there is a lot to learn about bariatric surgery before making any decisions about pursuing it. So this article is not the end to your research, but only the beginning. Consider this a good jumping-off point for your further research.

What Is Bariatric Surgery?

With that disclaimer out of the way, let's talk about bariatric weight-loss surgery (and the surgeons who perform it) in the Austin, Texas area. To do this properly, we must start with some basic definitions.

Medically speaking, "bariatrics" deals with the causes, treatment and prevention of obesity. Obviously, this is an important field of medicine in the United States, given that 30% of the population is estimated to be obese. The number of obese Americans has increased significantly over the years, quite possibly because of the more sedentary nature of our society. So bariatrics — and the bariatric surgeries associated with it — is a very important field of medicine in the U.S.

With that definition of bariatrics established, you can more easily understand what bariatric surgery is all about. These are various types of surgery designed to reduce the body weight of obese individuals. Bariatric surgery is also referred to as weight loss surgery and obesity surgery. Essentially, these terms are synonymous and interchangeable.

Weight Loss Surgery Methods

There are actually several types of bariatric surgery to choose from in the Austin area. The key to choosing the best type of surgery for you is by understanding the different types. Here are the most common forms of weight loss surgery available in Austin, Texas:

• Gastric Bypass - For many years, this was the primary type of bariatric weight-loss surgery. In fact, when you mention the phrase "weight loss surgery," most people will immediately think of the gastric bypass. With this type of surgery, a small portion of the stomach is stapled off, rendering the larger portion of the stomach unusable. In turn, this decreases the overall stomach capacity (and food consumption levels), which leads to weight loss. [learn more + view diagram]
• Adjustable Gastric Band - Gastric banding is a newer form of bariatric surgery, and many Austin surgeons have begun to specialize in this type of surgery. With this type of weight-loss surgery, an adjustable band is inserted around the upper portion of the stomach, achieving a similar restrictive effect as with the gastric bypass. But gastric bands are inserted by laparoscopic means, which allows for smaller incisions and quicker recovery times (generally speaking). [view diagram] Popular forms of gastric banding are the LAP-BAND ® System made by Allergan, and the Realize Band made by a Johnson & Johnson company. The Lap-Band in particular has become so popular that many Austin bariatric surgeons focus on Lap-Band procedures exclusively.
• Vertical Banded Gastroplasty - The VBG surgery combines aspects of both the gastric banding and gastric bypass procedures that we just discussed. Specifically, it makes use of both stomach staples and banding to achieve the weight loss effect. Like other types of bariatric surgery, the vertical banded gastroplasty creates, in essence, a "stomach within a stomach." This is to say, it sections off a small part of the stomach, which in turn restricts the patients stomach capacity and food consumption. [view diagram]

Choosing a Austin Bariatric Surgeon

Choosing the right surgeon for your weight loss surgery is one of the keys to surgery success. And now that you have a better grasp on the concepts of bariatric surgery, you'll be better able to choose the Austin surgeon who is right for you.

Austin's population has increased steadily over the last few years. And because Austin, Texas is a demographic slice of the United States as a whole, this means there are more obese people living in Austin than ever before. As a direct result, there are more bariatric surgeons in the area as well. So with a bit of online research, you could probably come up with a short list of ten surgeons (or more) who perform the type of surgery you're considering.

Of course, the most important thing is that you choose a highly qualified surgeon to perform your bariatric surgery. With that in mind, here are some checkpoints to consider when selecting a bariatric surgeon in Austin, Texas:

• Surgery Experience -- Clearly, this is one of the most important criteria for selecting a bariatric surgeon. There is simply no substitute for hands-on surgical experience. Key questions to ask: "How long have you been performing bariatric surgery, and how many surgeries have you performed in that time?"
• Patient Success Rate -- From a patient's perspective, surgery success rates are more important than the sheer number of surgeries performed. So be sure to ask about patient success rates when screening Austin surgeons. In this context, success can be defined in terms of weight loss after surgery, general recovery times, minimizing complications, etc.
• Bedside Manner -- Do you get along with the surgeon? Are you comfortable speaking with him or her? These "bedside manner" factors are important when choosing your Austin surgeon. It's best to choose a bariatric surgeon who has a good combination of technical and people skills. Surgical skill is the most important consideration, but it certainly helps to get along well with the surgeon as well. After all, you'll be speaking to him or her several times before your surgery, and making several follow-up visits after the surgery.

Continue Your Education

At the beginning of the article, I stated that this is the beginning of your bariatric surgery education — not the end of it. Before you make a decision on whether or not you want to have bariatric surgery, you owe it to yourself to conduct some additional research. Here are some resources to help with your research.

• American Society of Bariatric Surgery
• MedlinePlus: Weight Loss Surgery
• Gastrointestinal Surgery for Severe Obesity

I hope you have found this guide to Austin bariatric surgery helpful, and I wish you well on your journey to better health.

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