An interested patient fills out the information form on this website and e-mails it back to our office. Our office will e-mail back to the patient indicating their information has been received and an invitation to call the office to make an appointment will be extended. After the initial office appointment the patient will be guided through the steps necessary to complete the preop evaluation and arrangements for this evaluation will be made for the patient depending upon the patient's preferences. In most cases this includes an upper GI x-rays series, a Helico Bacter Pylori assay (blood test for bacteria in the stomach), psychology evaluation, and arrangements for an intensive medical preop evaluation. This evaluation can be carried out at the patients hometown hospital provided the evaluation elements are carried out by a medical staff familiar with the issues surrounding morbid obesity and weight loss surgery. In many cases we recommend a visit with an endocrinology clinic because of their familiarity with weight loss and the complex changes that can occur as a result of the surgery. Our approach is particularly helpful because it has a weight management program associated with it and weight management nurses with many years of experience in the nutritional issues surrounding obesity.
When the preoperative evaluation has been completed a second appointment is made with Dr. Bauman and a physical exam as well as the completion of the preoperative orders is carried out. At that time the surgical date is scheduled and any outstanding issues are resolved including the questions that may have arisen since the last visit. Consent for the operation is obtained by initialing and signing a pamphlet explaining many of the risks involved in the surgery. Further information is offered through a computer assisted course explaining the surgery in detail and offering the opportunity for further questioning. There are preoperative medications and preparations that are reviewed during this visit as well.
On the day of surgery the patient is asked to arrive with a support person and in most cases the operating time is approximately 2 hours. The normal hospital stay is two days for the bypass and less than 24 hours for the Lap-Band. Many Lap-Band patients choose to be discharged on the same day as their surgery. On the evening of the surgery the patient is assisted in walking and in the morning following the surgery liquids are begun. In some cases patients can be discharged on this first postoperative day depending upon their comfort level and the circumstances surrounding their surgery. Most patients elect to remain until the following day at which time they are discharged. Patients who live more than 1 hour traveling time away from the hospital are required to remain in the area for the following five postoperative days. It is very important that the patient does not come to the hospital alone as a support person is tremendously important during this period. In the immediate period after discharge support remains vitally important and the patient should not expect to be entirely independent in the first postoperative week.
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