About Weight Loss Surgery 

Surgical weight loss options are reserved mainly for people who suffer from clinically severe obesity – a BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2 or about 100 pounds overweight.

Weight Loss Surgery at OSU Medical Center

OSU Medical Center’s Bariatric Surgery Program offers surgical approaches for weight loss. Our medical staff, nurses, dietitians and program specialists prepare patients for long-term success after weight loss surgery.

If you are considering bariatric surgery, a physician, psychologist and dietitian will evaluate you. In order to proceed with the next step in surgery, all of these staff professionals must conclude that you are a good candidate for surgery.

After these initial evaluations, a series of preoperative blood tests and x-rays are performed. These evaluations and tests are done to ensure you do not have endocrine problems or behavioral problems associated with your obesity. These evaluations also help to identify any rare medical problems that may make the risk of major surgery under general anesthesia too high.

If you have obesity-related medical problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure or others, this is usually reason enough to have the surgery. An active peptic ulcer disease or advanced heart, lung, and/or kidney disease may be reasons not to have the surgery.

Your mental and emotional health is also important when being considered for bariatric surgery. You must have a good understanding of the risks involved with the surgery. You will have to make dramatic changes in both your lifestyle and eating habits that last forever. It’s also important to understand that bariatric surgery does not guarantee a specific or permanent amount of weight loss.

Approved for Surgery

If you are approved for surgery, you will need to have blood tests, an ECG (electrocardiogram), and other pre-admission tests completed several weeks before the surgery. 

Day of Surgery

On the day of surgery, you will be admitted to OSU Medical Center. Surgery lasts approximately one and one-half to two hours. If you have scar tissue or a variation in your bowel anatomy that makes surgery a greater than normal risk, your surgeon may need to make a larger incision to safely complete the operation.

During surgery, a nasogastric (NG) tube is placed through your nose into your stomach and could remain there for up to two days after surgery. This tube helps drain fluids from the stomach. You will be assisted out of bed on the evening after surgery. While in the hospital, you will be on a clear liquid diet – this will allow time for your stomach and intestines to return to normal function and help reduce the possibility of leaks.

Learn more about procedures, risks and after surgery care.

For more information about weight loss surgery at OSU Medical Center, call (614) 293-2888.