Considering Obesity Surgery in Brazil? Question 4.

Are your expectations realistic?

Almost all obessity surgery procedures have resulted in consistent short-term weight loss. Unfortunately there is no perfect operation. The remarkable drive for the obese patient to regain weight cannot be eliminated in all patients. Furthermore, the history of weight loss surgery repeats itself with procedures that seemed initially to be very promising and safe in theory, but which were later found to be failures.

As such, newer procedures should always be viewed with caution. The RYGBP have withstood appropriate scrutiny through well documented results. The Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass outnumbers all other procedures and results. Weight loss of 65 to 80% of excess body weight (the amount by which actual body weight exceeds actuarial ideal body weight) is typical of most large series of Gastric Bypass operations reported.

Most people who undergo other bariatric surgery can expect to lose two-thirds to three-fourths of their excess weight. However, up to 25% of those bariatric surgeries are not successful. Patients can be regaining weight by slowly ingesting high-calorie foods or even eating quantities significant enough to stretch the stomach pouch after gastric bypass. Another aspect of extreme weight loss is the problem of excess skin or unattractive fat pockets and the possible need for plastic surgical procedures to correct these problems.