Dr. Hall uses the following basic criteria. and individual factors, to determine if a patient qualifies for a weight loss surgical procedure:
- Age: must be between 18 and 60 years of age.
- Body Mass Index: must be over 40, or between 35 – 40 and have co-morbidities.
- Primary Care Physician (PCP): each candidate must have a primary care physician, a physician who practices in the community in which the prospective patient resides. That primary care physician must perform a physical examination on the prospective candidate for weight loss surgery, and provide written verification of (1) the examination and findings; (2) that the prospective candidate is medically stable and able to withstand surgery, and (3) agree to provide medical follow-up care after the weight loss surgery.
- Psychological Preparation: If the prospective candidate is under the care of a mental health professional, that professional must provide written verification that (1) he/she is treating the prospective candidate; (2) agreement that weight loss surgery is appropriate for the prospective candidate. If the candidate is not seeing a mental health professional but the surgeon feels a psychological evaluation is necessary, it will be ordered.
- Pre-Operative Testing: If your surgeon so orders, each prospective candidate must timely complete testing and pre-operative assignments.
Ability to comply with therapy - A prospective candidate must have an objective ability for self-discipline, because compliance with the surgeons' post-operative instructions is essential. Weight loss, post-operatively, will only occur if diet and exercise instructions are followed.
Other medical conditions - some people who are morbidly obese are extremely ill as a result of their obesity. In these individuals, the excess weight has caused significant and permanent damage to one or more organ systems. The most commonly affected organs are the lungs (sleep apnea and GE Reflux), the heart (congestive failure or coronary artery disease), and the kidneys (damage from diabetes or high blood pressure). Major medical problems like these increase the risk of any major surgical procedure including bariatric surgery, but they also strengthen the need for weight loss. In other words, significant medical problems require careful consideration, but do not necessarily contraindicate surgery.
Age appropriateness - surgical candidates at the extremes of the age spectrum also require extra consideration to evaluate the appropriateness of surgery. Patients who are older than their 50's may be starting to lose some of the body's natural "reserve" and may be at higher-than-average risk for the surgery. It is interesting to note that not many people over 65 meet the weight criteria for bariatric surgery, probably because it is hard to be that heavy and live that long. Also, there are few to none people in that age range that are that large and present a reasonable risk for surgery. On the young side of the age spectrum, the concern is not medical risk but more a question of whether the individual can really understand what they are getting into. Young people who suffer from morbid obesity must demonstrate exceptional maturity and independent thought to become good candidates for a bariatric surgical procedure.
Give full consideration - It is important that you secure information about the options to weight loss surgery, the potential complications of this type of surgery, post-operative requirements and the permanent effects of the surgery on your life. The decision to undergo weight loss surgery is a very serious one. Confer with and question your primary care physician, mental health professional, and if you choose a surgeon, secure a full understanding of what is involved and expected of you should you qualify as a candidate for weight loss surgery. |