Are you a candidate for Bariatric Surgery?

There are a number of widely accepted combined criteria which make a patient suitable for bariatric or weight loss surgery:

• A Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 40 by itself, or a BMI greater than 35 if there is an associated obesity illness (also known as co-morbidity) such as diabetes or sleep apnea; LAP-BAND® surgery has been approved for a BMI greater than 30 with one associated co-morbidity, or a BMI greater than 35 by itself
• Reasonable attempts at other weight loss techniques
• Age 18-65
• Obesity-related health problems
• No psychiatric or drug dependency problems
• A capacity to understand the risks and commitment associated with the surgery
• Pregnancy not anticipated in the first two years following surgery

There is flexibility in these guidelines. Sometimes a lower BMI between 30-35 is accepted if co-morbidities exist.

The decision to have obesity surgery should not be taken lightly. There are risks involved in every type of weight loss surgery. The goal of this website is to provide you with information to determine if you are a candidate for weight loss surgery. Whether or not surgery is right for you is a discussion you should have with your primary care physician, your family and your weight loss surgeon.