Bariatric Surgery in New York City

A Guide to Getting Weight Loss Surgery in New York, NY

The popularity of bariatric surgery has soared in recent years. Statistics by the National Institutes of Health suggest that more 100,000 patients had some form of bariatric surgery last year, which is nearly ten times the amount of such surgeries in 1990.

Why are there so many more bariatric surgery procedures today than a few years ago? Several reasons, really:

Greater Need - The number of obese people in the United States continues to increase, year after year. Today, approximately 30% of the American population is considered to be obese by medical standards. According to diabetes research from the New York State Health Department, the percentage of obese adults has increased from 14.8% to 20.3% over the last few years. This is certainly part of the reason we see an increase in bariatric weight-loss surgery cases each year.
Greater Coverage - An Internet search for the phrase "weight loss surgery in New York" will produce dozens of news stories, blog posts and articles. You also hear about this topic on TV quite frequently. This increased media coverage has further fueled the growth of bariatric weight-loss surgery in New York City (and elsewhere in the country). It has also led to some legislative actions, such as the new requirement that certain restaurants in New York post calorie information on their menus.
More Options - Additionally, there are more bariatric surgery options today than there were ten years ago. In the past, gastric bypass was basically the only option for patients undergoing bariatric surgery. But today, patients have more options when considering a bariatric surgery procedure in New York City, such as the increasingly popular gastric banding techniques (discussed below).

With all this being said, the important thing to remember is that bariatric surgery is still surgery, and as such it requires careful consideration and education on the part of the potential patient. That's the reason we have created this article. This guide to bariatric surgery in New York City is intended for people who are considering such surgery as a treatment option for obesity. If this describes you, please keep reading for plenty of helpful information about bariatric weight-loss surgery in New York.

What Is Bariatric Surgery?

Let's kick off our discussion of bariatric weight-loss surgery in New York with some basic definitions. In medical terms, the field of "bariatrics" deals with the causes, treatment and prevention of obesity.

So by extension, the various types of bariatric surgery all have the same goal — to help reduce the body weight of obese individuals. "Weight loss surgery" and "obesity surgery" are also used to describe these types of procedures. You'll notice I mentioned the types of surgery (plural). As we discussed at the beginning of this article, there are more options today than ever before for people considering bariatric surgery. We will talk about some of these below.

Criteria for Weight Loss Surgery in New York

For the most part, bariatric surgeons in New York City will follow a pre-defined set of criteria for bariatric surgery. This helps the surgeon determine whether or not a person is a candidate for a weight loss surgery procedure. While each surgeon in New York may have his or her own set of "rules," the following criteria will usually apply:

The candidate has attempted (and documented) other methods of weight loss, such as dietary changes, exercise programs, etc. But these programs did not reduce the person’s weight below the obesity level.
The candidate is severely obese with a body mass index (BMI) for 40 or greater.
The candidate's daily life is hampered by obesity, rendering them unable to perform routine tasks and activities.

In addition to the basic criteria outlined above, it's also important for potential patients to understand the risks associated with bariatric surgery, as well as the life changes that will result in such a surgery.

Bariatric Surgery Options

In order to choose the type of bariatric surgery that's best for you, you'll need to understand the basics of how each procedure works. Here are the most common forms of bariatric weight-loss surgery available in the New York City area:

Gastric Bypass - When you mention weight loss surgery, many people automatically think of the gastric bypass procedure. That's because for many years, this was one of the only options patients had for bariatric surgery in New York (or elsewhere). During a gastric bypass, a small section of the patient's stomach is stapled off creating a small upper "pouch." The larger, lower portion of the stomach is thereby rendered unusable. This decreases the patient's stomach capacity, which in turn leads to weight loss. [learn more + view diagram]
Adjustable Gastric Band - This is a band that goes around the upper part of the stomach. It is inserted through small laparoscopic incisions, and when fully inserted it creates a small "pouch" in the upper stomach (similar to the one described in the gastric bypass definition above). [view diagram] Gastric banding is a newer form of bariatric surgery, and many New York City surgeons have begun to specialize in this type of surgery. Popular forms of gastric banding are the LAP-BAND ® System made by Allergan, and the Realize Band made by a Johnson & Johnson company.
Vertical Banded Gastroplasty (VBG) - The procedure actually combines certain aspects of both the gastric bypass and the banding procedures described above. A vertical banded gastroplasty uses both stomach staples and banding to achieve the weight loss effect. Like the other forms of bariatric surgery, the VBG achieves results by creating a "stomach within a stomach." In other words, it creates a small "pouch" from the upper portion of the stomach, thus reducing the patient's stomach capacity. [view diagram]

Choosing a New York City Bariatric Surgeon

First the good news. Due to the fact that New York City is a major population center of the United States, there is certainly no shortage of bariatric surgeons in the New York area.

However, the large number of surgeons in the city also means more homework on your part. You'll have to do some thorough (but necessary) research to find the surgeon who is right for you. If there were only two bariatric surgeons in the New York City area, the choice would be an easy — one or the other. But in reality, there are hundreds to choose from. So where do you begin?

Here are some key points to consider when selecting a bariatric surgeon in New York, NY:

Surgery Experience -- For developing expertise in a surgical field, there is simply no substitute for hands-on experience. So be sure to ask the surgeons you talk to how long they've been performing weight loss surgery, how many surgeries they've done, etc.
Patient Success Rate -- Even more important than the sheer number of surgeries is the surgery success rate. Here, success can be defined in terms of average weight loss after surgery, minimizing complications, patient recovery times, etc.
Bedside Manner -- Does the surgeon take the time to answer your questions, or does he/she seem to be in a rush all the time? Are they easy to talk to? Do they seem to genuinely care about your health, or do you feel like "just another number" in their work week? Bedside manner is an important consideration when choosing your New York City surgeon. After all, you'll be speaking to him or her several times before your surgery, and making several follow-up visits after the surgery. So it certainly helps to get along well with your surgeon!

Continue Your Education

This tutorial is not meant to be a comprehensive education on weight loss surgery in New York City. Before you make any decisions about pursuing bariatric surgery for obesity, you should learn more about the pros and cons of such surgeries. So, in reality, this article is only the beginning of your bariatric research — not the end of it.

Here are some good places online to continue your research:

I hope you have found this guide to bariatric weight-loss surgery in New York helpful, and I wish you all the best with your journey to improved health.

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