Q. Am I eligible for obesity surgery?
Q. What operations are available to me?
Q. How much weight could I expect to lose following surgery?
Q. Are there any complications associated with this surgery?
Q. Is this treatment available on the NHS?
Q. Who can I turn to for advice about this type of surgery?
Q. Will I be restricted in what I can eat?
Q. Am I eligible for obesity surgery?
A. In order to comply with the NICE Guidance you should have a body mass index
over 40 (or over 35 if you have developed one of the complications of obesity
eg diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, asthma, arthritis). You
should also have tried all other treatment options including medical therapy.
You must also be fit enough to undergo the surgery and have an anaesthetic.
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Q. What operations are available to me?
A. There are many operations which have been used for obesity over the years.
The most commonly performed operations in this country are either a gastric
bypass or laparoscopic gastric banding. There are other operations performed
such as vertical banded gastroplasty (stomach stapling) and duodenal switch.
All of these operations are effective although certain ones are more effective
in certain situations.
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Q. How much weight could I expect to lose following surgery?
A. Following a gastric bypass or duodenal switch weight lose is rapid. This
is usually 2-3 stones in the first month followed by around a stone per month
thereafter until your weight plateaus out. Weight loss is also quite rapid
with a vertical banded gastroplasty although perhaps not as quick as with
the others. With a laparoscopic gastric band, the weight loss tends to be
more gentle although ultimately very great weight loss can be achieved with
this operation also.
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Q. Are there any complications associated with this surgery?
A. Yes, this is major surgery and is not without complications. It is not something
to undertake lightly and you must be aware that it can have severe risks
particularly in very heavy people. However, there are risks in not losing
weight if you are morbidly obese and it is a matter of balancing the risks
versus the benefits. The potential risks associated with obesity can be
discussed with your GP and will also be discussed at initial
consultation with Mr Ackroyd.
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Q. Is this treatment available on the NHS?
A. Yes, in some places this treatment is available on the National Health Service,
although the number of centres is limited and the number of operations in
each of these centres is also limited to some extent.
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Q. Who can I turn to for advice about this type of surgery?
A. Mr Ackroyd will be happy to answer any questions if you wish to make an
appointment. Alternatively you could discuss things with your general practitioner.
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Q. Will I be restricted in what I can eat?
A. Yes, you will be restricted to a considerable extent in the amount of food
you can eat. Also the type of food will be different. You will need to stay
on fairly soft and liquid foods, particularly in the months following your
surgery. You will be assessed by a specialist dietitian and given the relevant
advice should you wish to go ahead with surgery.
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If you'd like to find out more about obesity surgery at Thornbury Hospital then register for a consultation now or call us on 0114 266 4455.
