Gastric bypass is a type of weight loss surgery that divides the stomach into a large portion and a small portion, followed by having the lower pouch disconnected, so food is bypassed to this area of the stomach only. It is the most common type of weight loss procedure performed with a high success rate for weight loss in the short-term and long-term. Before going through with the surgery, you first need to choose an experienced and reputable gastric bypass surgeon who has adequate training and experience.
Training
The education and training are a vital part of researching and choosing your gastric bypass surgeon. They need to not only have their studies in plastic surgery, in general, but in weight loss surgery and gastric bypass procedures. Many gastric bypass surgeons have done fellowships in this form of weight loss surgery, supervised by more experienced surgeons.
Look at Their Experience
After training, the next important element of a surgeon is their experience. Again, don’t just look at their medical experience, but in doing gastric bypass procedures specifically. This is an extremely invasive procedure, so it is important that you choose a surgeon with plenty of experience. Look at how long they have worked and trained in bariatrics, how many procedures they have performed, which bariatric surgeries they have completed, and their mortality rate.
Certification and Licensing
Next is their certification and licensing in plastic surgery and with weight loss surgeries. Look for board certification in a specialized training program from the American Board of Surgery, as well as one from a specialty plastic surgery association or organization. You should not only verify their certification and license but find out how long they have had it and be sure the license is still active.
Follow-Up Guidelines
The surgery should not be the most important part of gastric bypass to your surgeon, as a commitment to follow-up is just as important. You want a doctor who finds the recovery period and proper monitoring to be vital, where they keep checking in on you and your progress up to a year or more after the procedure was performed. This includes guiding you through recovery and weight loss, being sure you don’t have complications or side effects from surgery, and answering any questions you might have about your results.
Associated Facilities
Lastly, check what facilities the gastric bypass surgeon has permissions with, including hospital and medical services, and their office facilities. Their personal gastric bypass practice should be approved by the Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence with courteous and helpful staff and a pleasant atmosphere. The local hospital or medical facilities should also be supportive of weight loss procedures.
Aside from this experience and qualifications, you also want to find out what individual memberships and affiliations your gastric bypass surgeon has. The American Society for Metabolic Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) is one of the most significant associations for them to have. Verifying their experience and licensing, and getting good reviews during the research period, ensures you have chosen well with your surgeon.