Demonstrated expertise:
Our highly skilled, experienced surgeons do over 1,000 surgeries each year, including ones for people with complex needs and those who need a reoperation (second surgery). Meet our team.
Has losing weight and keeping it off been a constant uphill battle? Are you worried that your weight is putting you at risk for serious health problems?
Bariatric surgery could be the solution. Deciding to have this surgery (also called weight loss surgery) is a life-changing decision. It means starting on a journey that can help you achieve long-lasting weight loss and better health overall. It’s also a decision that requires consistency, dedication and commitment for the rest of your life, so it’s normal to feel nervous or even a little scared.
At Cleveland Clinic, our experienced and compassionate bariatric surgery team will help you understand exactly what’s going to happen and make sure that you get the very best care before, during and after surgery. We want to help you meet your weight loss goals and improve your health. And we’ll be right there beside you — every step of the way.
Our highly skilled, experienced surgeons do over 1,000 surgeries each year, including ones for people with complex needs and those who need a reoperation (second surgery). Meet our team.
Our surgeons specialize in minimally invasive (laparoscopic) techniques, like bariatric endoscopy, which can help you recover faster.
The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and the American College of Surgeons named Cleveland Clinic a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence.
Your care team will thoroughly prepare you physically and emotionally for surgery. Your personalized plan will include one-on-one education, support groups and the opportunity to have shared appointments with others having bariatric surgery. Our facilities are leading-edge and designed specifically to care for our bariatric surgery patients.
Our team of bariatric surgery specialists will be with you every step of the way on your weight loss journey. This team includes your surgeon, dietitian, psychologist, obesity medicine provider and a patient navigator. Your navigator will be your point person throughout your bariatric surgery journey. They’ll offer encouragement and support, answer questions and help you with the surgery qualification process.
Each member of our bariatric surgery team is compassionate, understanding and nonjudgmental. We understand that deciding whether to have bariatric surgery isn’t easy. And we’re passionate about helping you change your life for the better.
Cleveland Clinic is a trusted healthcare leader. We’re recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for our expertise and care.
Bariatric surgery is a safe and effective medical treatment for obesity. It can reduce your overall body fat and help address the root causes of weight gain. It can also offer a long-term solution when it’s been hard to lose weight and keep it off.
In addition to weight loss, bariatric surgery may help lower high blood pressure and reduce or eliminate sleep apnea, joint pain, infertility (inability to get pregnant) and depression. Studies show bariatric surgery can even send Type 2 diabetes into long-term remission.
We consider bariatric surgery an option if your body mass index (BMI) is 40 or more. If your BMI is 35 and you have any of these health conditions, you might also qualify for surgery:
You may also qualify for surgery if your BMI is over 30 and you have an unmanaged condition that’s related to obesity, like diabetes.
If you don’t meet the guidelines for surgery, choose not to have surgery or have gained weight even after surgery, you still have options. Your healthcare provider can recommend other types of weight management care, which combine diet, exercise and behavioral therapy. We’ll put together a weight-loss plan that will help you meet your goals if surgery isn’t for you.
Bariatric endoscopy may be an option if surgery isn’t right for you or if you’ve regained weight after bariatric surgery. These minimally invasive procedures use a thin, flexible tube instead of incisions. Your provider can help you decide if bariatric endoscopy fits your weight-loss goals.
Our healthcare providers see patients at convenient locations throughout Ohio, Florida and London.
At Cleveland Clinic, we believe in drawing on the skills and experience of many specialists for your care. When you and your healthcare provider have decided that bariatric surgery is right for you, your care team will include Cleveland Clinic experts who’ll help manage all parts of your weight loss journey, like:
The patient navigator serves as your point of contact and helps guide you through your weight loss journey. Our navigators have over 75 years of experience helping people through the qualification process for bariatric surgery. They understand that the journey can be long and complicated, and they’ll be honest, caring, motivating and supportive throughout the process. They’ll also answer your questions and help with insurance, medical, nutritional, psychological and surgical requirements.
Your surgeon will consider many things before recommending a specific type of bariatric surgery, including:
At Cleveland Clinic, our surgeons typically use minimally invasive surgery techniques, which means smaller incisions (cuts), less pain and faster recoveries.
Gastric bypass: In this procedure, your surgeon will make a small stomach pouch (enough to hold a cup of liquid) and connects it to the lower part of your small intestine. When you eat, the food bypasses (goes around) the rest of your stomach and empties directly into your intestine. This can make you feel fuller while eating less.
Gastric sleeve surgery: In this type, your surgeon will remove about 75% of your stomach, leaving a narrow tube (sleeve) about the size of a banana. Because this procedure makes your stomach a lot smaller, you won’t be able to eat a lot of food at once.
Biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch: This procedure (sometimes called a duodenal switch) combines a sleeve gastrectomy with an intestinal bypass. It limits how much food your stomach can hold and how much nutrition your small intestine can absorb from food. It also takes away some of your hunger hormones so you won’t feel as hungry as you ordinarily might. It can be especially helpful when you have extreme overweight or Type 2 diabetes.
SADI surgery (SADI-S): This procedure is a modified version of the duodenal switch. It bypasses only about half of your small intestine, which leaves enough intestine to absorb more nutrients. It’s also known as a single anastomosis duodeno-ileal bypass with sleeve gastrectomy.
Before any type of bariatric surgery, you’ll meet with your surgeon twice. During the first visit, you’ll:
You’ll also learn what pre-surgery tests you might need, like:
When your consultations and tests are completed, you’ll have your second visit before surgery to:
Recovery from bariatric surgery is usually fast. Most people are back to work at a desk job within two to four weeks. You’ll need to eat slowly and drink less during meals so there’s more room for solid foods. A dietitian will provide you with dietary rules to follow.
A big part of successful weight loss surgery is lifestyle change. At Cleveland Clinic, we want you to achieve your goals. We have many support groups to help you with eating, exercising and staying motivated after surgery. You’ll also need to meet with your care team for follow-up visits throughout the first year after surgery.
Insurance coverage varies for weight loss surgeries. It’s important to call your insurance provider to see if your policy covers surgical weight loss. Your patient navigator will confirm your benefits and help guide discussions with your insurance company to get surgery approval. We understand how important having bariatric surgery is to you, and we’ll work with you every step of the way to make it happen if possible.
We have affordable self-pay options if you qualify medically for bariatric surgery, but your insurance doesn’t cover the procedure. Our financial counselor can help you navigate the process if you choose to self-pay.
Bariatric surgery is a powerful solution for weight loss, but it’s only the first step. Your dedication to a healthy lifestyle is an important part of changing your life for the better. If you’ve watched the seminar and you and your provider have decided that surgery is a good option, we’re ready to help guide you through each part of the process.
If you’re interested in bariatric surgery, the very first step we ask you to take is to sign up for our online informational seminar. The seminar will teach you about the process of having surgery, including your surgery options, what to expect and answers to some of the most common questions.
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