Safety and Risks of Bariatric Surgery

Bariatric surgery has a lot of misconceptions surrounding it. You might hear people say things like “It is a dangerous surgery”, “Won’t you die from that”, or “It is the easy way out.” These are false statements and they paint a misleading picture that bariatric surgery is not safe or a good option for patients diagnosed with obesity. Statements like these may also prevent people from getting safe and effective treatment when the surgery could, in fact, be very beneficial and life-changing.

If you’re considering bariatric surgery, it is best to be informed with all the facts. It is also important to discuss the safety and risks associated with your surgeon and/or the medical team that is handling your care.

Risk of Mortality (death):

Elective or emergency surgeries always come with risks, but you can be assured that bariatric surgery is one of the safest operations out there.  It has a mortality rate under 0.2% and complications are generally only experienced by one in ten patients. Gallbladder removal or hip replacement surgeries have a greater risk of death and complications than bariatric surgery and long-term obesity risks are actually much higher than having weight loss surgery.

Bariatric surgery is safe enough to have been approved by several health and governmental organizations including the American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, The Obesity Society, and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, just to name a few.

Safety with WeightWise:

The national death rate for weight loss surgery is less than 2 in 1,000 surgeries. WeightWise in Oklahoma has a death rate of zero. Since opening our clinic over 12 years ago, we have performed more than 4,000 surgeries and there have been no deaths related to surgery.  That’s something we are proud of and want to maintain, so each patient that walks through our doors will feel confident that they are in the best hands possible.

Research has also found that mortality from other causes decreases after bariatric surgery. In fact, individuals can see up to an 89% reduction in mortality after gastric sleeve or gastric bypass surgeries. There is a highly significant decrease in deaths from specific diseases as well.

• Cancer mortality decreases by 60% post bariatric surgery
• Diabetes mortality decreases by 90% post bariatric surgery
• Heart Disease mortality decreases by 50% post bariatric surgery

Bariatric surgery has also been shown to help cure or significantly improve other health conditions such as sleep apnea and problems with joints.  

Which surgery is best for me?

There are a variety of different weight loss surgeries available, and there is not one specific surgery that will work for every person. Each one has its pros and cons and there a variety of factors to consider, such as how much weight you want to lose, what the cost of the surgery is, and what diet restrictions may need to happen after surgery and during recovery.

No two patients are the same, so each surgery comes with different individual risks. Our team will look closely at your medical history and talk it over thoroughly with you as to ensure your personal risk is minimized. It is important to ask questions and it’s especially key to discuss your concerns or specific risks for each surgery with our surgeons.

Interested in more information? Consider attending one of our FREE seminars for details on the safety and risks of bariatric surgery.