Bariatric surgery is for weight loss. It includes a variety of procedures that are performed on persons dealing with obesity. Doctors recommend bariatric surgery for obese persons with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of at least 40. They also recommend this surgery for persons with a BMI of 35 and other concomitant problems, such as diabetes. Recent research however, states that persons with a BMI of more than 30 with significant comorbidities may be a candidate for bariatric surgery.

Bariatric surgery is beneficial for long-standing obesity. Studies show that that the procedures cause significant, long-term weight loss as well as remission from diabetes, reduction in cardiovascular risk, and a reduction in mortality by about 23 to 40 percent.

Bariatric surgery is performed all over the continental United States, including in San Antonio, Texas. Weight loss surgery in San Antonio is a popular option for Texas residents, as well as those visiting the state for this surgery. We at the Texas Center for Medical & Surgical Weight Loss in San Antonio are the most-experienced and largest independent bariatric center in the state.   Several thousand of our patients have benefited from significant weight loss and an improved quality of life.

Currently, there are two basic approaches to weight loss surgery: restrictive operations and operations that combine restriction and malabsorption. Restrictive procedures (such as an adjustable gastric banding and sleeve gastrectomy) simply limit the amount of food that a person can eat at one time. Combination procedures (such as gastric bypass) give patients the feeling of satisfaction from only a small amount of food and lessen the amount of calories that are absorbed from the food eaten.

After surgery, overeating is curbed because exceeding the capacity of the stomach causes nausea and vomiting. Diet restrictions after recovery from surgery depend in part on the type of surgery. This surgery is a popular alternative for weight loss and many obese and high-risk patients undergo this surgery to improve their health and their quality of life.