Treating Obesity with Gastric Bypass Surgery

with Bruce Rowe, M.D., Family Medicine Physician, Columbia St. Mary’s

Posted: Jan. 1, 2006

For people significantly obese, shedding pounds and keeping it off can be very difficult. Many have struggled to reach a weight loss goal, but eventually gained the weight back. For these individuals, gastric bypass surgery is an option to consider, said Bruce Rowe, M.D., a family medicine physician at Columbia St. Mary’s.

Dr. Rowe has a great comfort level working with obese patients and referring them to the Bariatric Center at Columbia St. Mary’s, if necessary.

Those suffering from obesity need to be treated with compassion and concern, Dr. Rowe said. “The Bariatric Center’s staff members are caring and patient. They have a great team of professionals who work with our patients.” Among them are surgeons, dietitians, nurses and psychologists.

“I had one patient who was on multiple medications for diabetes. She had the surgery and has already lost about 120 pounds off her weight of 340 pounds. She is now off of the insulin and is down to one pill for her diabetic condition,” Dr. Rowe said.

It’s important to treat obesity for many reasons. “Studies have shown that obese people not only have shorter life spans if untreated, but tend to lead less satisfying lives,” Dr. Rowe said. “It’s just not healthy to walk around with excessive weight. That condition puts a tremendous burden on the affected individual. He or she is at risk for developing diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, osteoarthritis or sudden death sleep apnea.”

Obesity carries other implications as well. “At work, obese people tend to be promoted less frequently than others. They also tend to be at high risk for depression and for drug and alcohol abuse,” Dr. Rowe explained.

Surgical weight loss procedures have been around for several decades, but haven’t been widely used until recently. The many benefits of the surgery have triggered the popularity, Dr. Rowe said.

Dr. Rowe said surgeons at Columbia St. Mary’s Bariatric Center specialize in gastric bypass surgery. The procedure is known as a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. It’s a minimally invasive form of laparoscopic surgery that shrinks the size of a patient’s stomach to about the size of an egg.

The surgeons also re-route the intestines, essentially bypassing a large portion of that organ. If there is less intestine, fewer calories will be absorbed from the body and the patient loses weight, he explained. The results are that there is less food intake and patients quickly feel full because their stomach is now much smaller.

“After surgery, patients can expect to lose approximately 60 to 70 percent of their excess body weight,” Dr. Rowe said. “Approximately two-thirds of this weight is lost in the first year, and most individuals continue to lose weight up to two years after surgery.”

“For them it’s a life-changing experience. They’re able to wear normal-sized clothing and get a good night’s sleep. Their glucose control improves, as does their cholesterol control. They’re able to exercise and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Their self image and attitude also improves,” he said.

“Clearly, bariatric surgery is not for everyone. Someone who is 25 pounds overweight is not considered an ideal candidate,” Dr. Rowe said.

Patients are considered candidates for bariatric surgery if they weigh more than 50 percent of their ideal body weight; if their body mass index (BMI) is greater than 40, or if they are more than 100 pounds overweight. If someone has a BMI of 35 and health conditions such heart problems, diabetes, sleep apnea or other risk factors; they may also be a candidate for bariatric surgery.

If you are concerned about your weight, talk to a physician about the treatment options best suited to your health needs. If you would like to know more about bariatric surgery, visit www.milwaukeebariatricsurgery.com.

Bruce Rowe, M.D.
9233 N. Green Bay Rd.
Brown Deer, WI 53209
414-270-8150

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