The Road to Health & Happiness

Obesity Texas style sounds like it could be a good thing, but that’s only because doing anything Texas style has this romanticism about it; obesity is not one of them. Obesity has become such a big problem that weight loss surgery in San Antonio is becoming big business, with no signs of slacking off in the near future. According to Men’s Fitness Magazine, San Antonio is listed as America’s fattest city in 2009. In light of the wide spread obesity in the largest cities, Texas could become America’s fattest state. Maybe this is why so many skilled surgeons are performing weight loss surgery in San Antonio on a daily basis.

Weightloss surgery in San Antonio is readily available to those who can afford it. With price tags ranging between $12,000 and $30,000, many people who could benefit most from the procedure can not easily afford it. Insurers who were once reluctant to pay for it are beginning to change their views on the medical necessity of it. There are medical practices and private financing options available to meet most needs.

There are several different types of bariatric procedures to choose from when you decide to have your weightloss surgery in San Antonio. The term Gastric Bypass actually encompasses five options of surgeries.

1. Laparoscopic gastric bypass is the chosen form of this type procedure, as opposed to open gastric bypass. This type is also the most commonly performed. With a small pouch placed at the top of the stomach and areas of small intestines are re-routed so there is a restriction of the amount of food that can be eaten as well as the amount calories that can be absorbed. The sirgery can even reverse diabetes complications. The laparscopic bypass uses smaller incisions with less pain and much faster healing times.

2. Lap band surgery is gaining in popularity because it also can be done laparoscopically, and it affords the patient the ability to either loosen or tighten the band to help in the achievement of weightloss goals. This procedure is the safest, most affordable, and the most popular of all procedures. The actualy surgery only takes around half an hour.

3. Similar to lap band surgery, Vertical Banded Gastroplasty involves stapling the stomach to make it smaller, and then a band is put beneath so that the patient feels full for longer. There isn’t a bypass in this case and patients are stil able to all of their nutrients from food. This surgery has lost popularity with the advent of the lap band. Because the pouch starts small before it expands, it make losing weight and keeping it off much more difficult.

4. Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch is a much more radical procedure but it produces extremely fast and lasting weight loss. The procedure is done in such a way that it not only restricts the amount of food, it also prohibits the absorption of calories and nutrients. Patients receiving this type of surgery must be careful to supplement their diets to avoid becoming malnourished.

5. For patients who have already undergone one type of gastric bypass but are still obese and want to try another procedure, weight loss revision surgery is a good option. Most revisions can be accomplished through laparoscopic means.

There are many new state-of-the-art facilities have popped up all over San Antonio. Some are hospitals within hospitals and others are self-contained clinics. Gastric bypass has evolved into art where the facilities have been re-thought for the benefit of the patient and to assist the surgeons to better apply their skills. These brand new facilities were designed for ease of access from one area to another with wider doorways; the equipment was designed with the weight and girth of larger patients in mind, and the quality of patient monitoring has also gone up. With the rise in obesity Texas is fortunate to have so many highly skilled surgeons and facilities to choose from.

Weight loss surgery in San Antonio can be researched by contacting any of the hospitals or centers in the Alamo city for additional information. As with any surgery, risks and benefits should be weighed carefully, and talking to a surgeon skilled in gastric bypass will help answer any questions.

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