You had questions, and Dr. Giannone had answers. On November 19, Instagram and Facebook users submitted their burning questions about bariatric surgery to Jonathan Giannone, MD, and he responded by dropping some knowledge. In case you missed it, here’s a recap.
How long will I be in the hospital, and off work recovering?
The hospital stay after bariatric surgery is one to two days. It is recommended to take about two weeks off from work while recovering and getting used to the diet.
When should I see a bariatric surgeon?
You should see a bariatric surgeon when your body mass index, or BMI, is greater than 35 and you suffer from diabetes, hypertension or sleep apnea, or if your BMI is 40 or higher. This would make you a candidate for surgery, and the surgeon can explain to you your surgical options.
What’s the difference between a gastric sleeve and gastric band?
The sleeve procedure is when the surgeon staples off and removes about 80 percent of the stomach, shrinking it down from the size of a football to the size of a banana.
The band is a surgical device that is placed around the stomach and tightened with saline that is injected into a port under the patient’s skin on the abdominal wall.
Does bariatric surgery work?
Bariatric surgery has a success rate of about 80 percent where the patient will lose the weight they need to lose for health reasons and keep it off long term. There are no other weight loss modalities that have this high of a success rate.
What made you decide to become a bariatric surgeon?
I like being a part of the patient’s health transformation. This is also a subset of surgery where I get to continue to see my patients long term.
How many weight-loss surgeries do you do each year? How experienced are you?
I perform about 200 weight loss surgeries per year. I operate at multiple high-volume centers of distinction for bariatric surgery.
Can bariatric surgery help improve any existing health conditions, such as diabetes?
It most certainly can. It is very likely that you will be off of your diabetes medications once you leave the hospital. Resolving medical problems is one of the main reasons patients decide to get bariatric surgery.
Can bariatric surgery help improve any existing health conditions, such as high blood pressure?
Yes. As the patient loses weight, it is very likely that they will start coming off of blood pressure medicines, even as soon as two weeks post-op.
Can bariatric surgery help improve any existing health conditions, such as high cholesterol?
Yes. The surgeries facilitate healthier eating and diets which are lower in the bad type of cholesterol and higher in lean proteins.
Can bariatric surgery help improve any existing health conditions, such as sleep apnea?
Yes, we see excellent remission of sleep apnea after bariatric surgery, and patient are finally able to get good sleep.
Which procedures do you preform?
I perform laparoscopic surgeries, which include the sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass, adjustable gastric band and duodenal switch. I also perform revision surgeries which include removing gastric bands and then doing either a sleeve or gastric bypass for the patient, as well as revisions for current patients who may already have one of the above listed procedures.
If you are ready to change your life for the better, request an appointment with Advanced Surgeons. We’ll tell you if you’re a candidate for bariatric surgery, and if you are, we’ll explain your procedure options and guide you every step of the way, from the initial consult to recovery and beyond.
