Candidacy for Bariatric Surgery

If you have been dealing with morbid obesity for years and have been unable to control your weight through behavioral and dietary changes, you may be a candidate for bariatric surgery. We will determine if you would benefit from gastric bypass, gastric sleeve or gastric band surgery all the while helping you through the entire process to ensure a successful outcome.

Candidates for Obesity Surgery

At the Winthrop Surgical Weight Loss Program, we follow a list of strict criteria established by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) when determining if you qualify for obesity surgery. In order to qualify for the surgery through our program, a candidate must:

• Have experienced unsatisfactory results using other weight loss methods such as diet and exercise programs
• Be over ideal weight by 100 pounds or more for men and 80 pounds or more for women
• Have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or greater; or have a body mass index of 35 or greater and have a life-threatening disease, such as diabetes, heart disease, or sleep apnea, that would improve with weight loss

Candidates for obesity surgery at the Winthrop Surgical Weight Loss Program should also be free from alcohol or drug dependence. Although many patients seek obesity surgery to improve health or psychological problems, these issues must not be so severe that they prevent a successful surgery. Candidates should be highly motivated and committed to following a special regimen of diet and exercise after surgery.

It is important for our patients to remember that bariatric surgery is not a quick fix for long-term weight loss. As with any major surgery, there are risks involved with obesity surgery that must be weighed against the health benefits of long-term weight loss.

Are You a Candidate for Obesity Surgery?

The first step toward long-term weight loss through surgery is to find out if you are eligible. If you believe you fit the criteria to be a candidate for obesity surgery, contact us to attend a seminar for and to schedule a consultation.