What Is the Future of Weight Loss Surgery?

With the continued rise of obesity in America and beyond, weight loss surgery is here to stay and will continue to evolve. As an experienced weight loss surgeon who has performed many weight-loss operations, I’ve seen many changes over the years; I also see the following on the horizon:

• Research will continue into the best weight loss procedures and modalities for performing surgery. Weight loss surgery has never been as safe as it is today because of the evolution of technology and technique. As a point of comparison, just 30 years ago, virtually every bariatric procedure was performed openly. This required a several-inch single incision in the abdomen, which increases the risk of blood loss, pain, infection, and incisional hernia compared to minimally invasive surgery performed today. Similarly, we have learned so much more about even tried and true procedures. For example, the gastric bypass and how it can put diabetes into remission within days or weeks through a metabolic reset of the gut. Or the gastric sleeve and how it dramatically affects hormone secretions to reduce hunger. This research is only gaining steam as the effects of excess weight and obesity on every part of our lives become clearer.
• A greater emphasis will be placed on coordinated, comprehensive care that includes medical weight loss, surgical weight loss, nutritional counseling, fitness, behavior modification, and ongoing education/support. The simple fact is that it is much harder, if not impossible, to reach your goals if you don’t have some help and encouragement from those around you. Bariatric surgery is not a solution in and of itself. It requires focus and dedication to one’s health. Of course, your weight loss and disease resolution victories are also ours. We have a vested interest in your success. As such, we are there for you in the months and years after your surgery to help ensure a successful procedure. We all know that it goes deeper than that, however. With the help of our fantastic and knowledgeable staff, we have developed a comprehensive plan that includes support for you after surgery. We also advise how to create a support system at home with family and friends who will help you reach those goals and ultimately keep you there.
• There will be a continued increase in out-patient weight loss surgery. Outpatient surgery involves discharge from the hospital or surgery center on the same day as the procedure itself. There are many benefits to this, not least of which is reduced cost of care. Of course, the primary limitation has been the concern for complications after the procedure; however, common surgeries such as gallbladder and hernia repair are routinely performed in an outpatient setting. Significant complications associated with weight loss surgery are approaching, if not as low as these other procedures performed primarily on an outpatient basis. However, out of caution, most of our gastric sleeves are still performed at the hospital and require a one-night stay. As we push forward, outpatient surgery will be more common across the board, made more effective and successful by ever-improving research and technology.

I am proud that at MIIS Weight Loss Institute, we are committed to you and your outcome and prepared for the inevitable changes. We offer various options and the latest surgical approaches, such as minimally invasive laparoscopic and robotic weight loss surgery. At MIIS Weight Loss Institute, we also integrate comprehensive services, and our patient outcomes demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach. We are committed to continuing our journey to improve the health of those in and around our community, and we welcome you to see what we offer and start your weight loss journey.