Bariatric Surgery Requirements

Pre-surgery requirements: If you decide to undergo bariatric surgery, you must go through an examination process and be aware of all treatment alternatives. During this process, you will have the opportunity to self-evaluate and to decide whether you are willing to follow all instructions completely. If you are not a hundred percent sure of what you want, we advise you to take some time off to think about it. If possible, you must take the following examinations in your own country. Otherwise, you must plan to stay three more days in the hospital. The cost of these examinations is not included in the price.

• Surgeon assessment
  In your first consultation, you will be informed of alternative treatments so you can choose, with physician support, the best surgical option. The surgeon will consider several issues like sex, age, body mass index, habits, expectations, risks, etc.
   
• Metabolic analysis
  You must be evaluated thoroughly to look for disorders and to rule out endocrinology problems.
   
• Gastroscopy
  Every type of bariatric surgery implies some procedure on the stomach so this organ must be endoscopically evaluated before surgery.
   
• Abdominal ultrasound
  This test is important to rule out some hepatobiliar disease that could interfere with surgery. Thirty percent of patients with extreme obesity suffer from cholelithiasis (gallstones in the gallbladder).
   
• Respiratory tests
  Tests assess the risk of respiratory complications. This helps the surgeon to identify high-risk patients and to determine the use of anesthesia and post-surgery treatment.
   
• Psychological evaluation
  To determine whether the patient suffers from personality disorders or some sort of mental condition that will rule out surgery. This will let us know if the patient has the maturity to undergo surgery and sometimes it will let the specialist understand the psychological and familiar environment where recovery takes place.
   
• Nutritional evaluation
  It determines the degree of obesity, eating habits and favorite foods. This will give the physician a better idea of what procedure is best for you.
   
• Pre-surgery course
  This program aims to inform, evaluate expectations and, above all, make you understand all possible implications in case you decide to undergo surgery. To help you make the right decision, you will have the opportunity to ask questions, clarify doubts and listen to success stories of other patients.

All the information gathered from these evaluations will be of great use to determine which procedure is best for each patient.

Post-surgery requirements
Weight loss surgery calls for a very strict post-surgery nutritional follow-up to ensure success of the procedure. Generally, from 2 to 5 days after surgery, it is advisable to follow a liquid diet then soup and cream can be added. During the third week, the patient can eat mashed and soft food. Chewing appropriately is essential.

The band adjustment will be evaluated six weeks after surgery. The type of adjustment will be based on weight loss.

You cannot miss your monthly nutritional update to properly introduce new food items into your diet, to determine calorie intake and to control your weight and anthropometric measures.

Weight loss surgery can be emotionally draining because you must adjust to new eating habits and a changing body.