Bariatric and Weight Loss Surgery in Rhode Island

Bariatric surgery is not a cure. It is a tool. Treatments are personalized for you and your needs. The team will help you consider the questions that help you decide whether weight-loss surgery is right for you. Learn more about the requirements for bariatric surgery as well as the different types of procedures.

One size doesn’t fit everyone, which is why the most important question to ask about metabolic bariatric surgery, commonly known as weight-loss surgery, is which is best for you. Your care team will explore criteria specific to you and your goals so that you can both be confident the best one for you is selected. Other factors that will be considered include effectiveness, safety, recovery time, insurance/costs, and potential risks.

The two most common metabolic bariatric procedures are Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG). 

• Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is when the stomach is separated into two parts, creating a small pouch in the upper section. The small intestine is then divided into two parts with the lower part then directly attached to the small stomach pouch. The surgeon then reconnects the upper part of the small intestine to a new location farther down the small intestine. 
• Vertical sleeve gastrectomy is when a portion of the stomach is removed, leaving only a banana-shaped section that is closed with staples. 

Your care team will guide you to the type of surgery that matches your metabolism, lifestyle, weight-loss goals, and other critical factors specific to your health profile.

Any type of surgery has an element of risk dependent on any number of factors. Metabolic bariatric surgery is as safe or safer than some of the most performed surgeries in America including gallbladder surgery, appendectomy and knee replacement. Safety is one factor to consider for metabolic bariatric surgery. 

A careful and precise review of an individual’s candidacy for metabolic bariatric surgery is the first step towards determining the right procedure with the lowest risk of complications and the most effective outcomes.

Our body’s metabolism is as different from one another’s as the sounds of our voices. Each procedure comes with its own set of potential risks, side effects, and complications. An assessment by your care team of your condition and weight-loss goals will help determine the procedure with the least risk that is right for you. You can help lower some of the risks and possible side effects by decreasing your Body Mass Index (BMI), increasing your amount of exercise, stopping smoking, and asking your doctor questions.

Your recovery time will depend on the metabolic bariatric surgery procedure you had and your individual set of circumstances such as pain tolerance, physical condition and emotional and mental well-being. Most patients undergoing metabolic bariatric procedures at our facility usually stay one night in the hospital. Overall, full recovery occurs within 3-4 weeks.

“Will it hurt?” is a question we’ve been asking since we were children. As adults, we learn that some pain comes with the good. There is certain level of discomfort or pain with any surgical procedure that varies according to the individual. The majority of planned metabolic bariatric surgery performed at the Center for Bariatric Surgery is minimally invasive, also called laparoscopic, and is conducted with general anesthesia. Our high-quality care includes adherence to evidence-based protocols that will help to reduce and limit the discomfort and/or pain for our patients following their procedure.