Bariatric Treatment Center of Western Michigan

ARIATRIC SURGERY can take weight off and keep it off, but it is not a cure, and it is not for everyone. Nevertheless, given the increasing prevalence of obesity and the limited effectiveness of diet therapy in morbidly obese people, there has been tremendous public interest in surgery for obesity. As a result, primary care physicians are encountering more patients who are contemplating or have undergone these procedures. Many are requesting preoperative evaluation or returning for primary care follow-up after surgery. To care for these patients effectively, primary care physicians need to know: • Why the surgery is needed • Who are the best candidates for bariatric surgery • When patients should consider bariatric surgery • How the surgery should be performed: that is, which procedure is best for which patient • Where the procedure should be performed: that is, how can you help a patient select a surgeon • Then what to watch for in patients who have had bariatric surgery.