The Day before Surgery
On the day before your procedure, you will need to come and check in to the hospital to undergo some tests and meet the surgeon and his staff. Your surgeon and the anesthesiologist will meet you to answer any additional questions you may have and to give final instructions. Our staff will always accompany you from your hotel to the hospital and back during the "surgery" days.

The Day of Surgery
On the day of your procedure, you will need to come and check in to the hospital at least one and a half hour before the time of surgery. Just before you are taken into the operating room, you'll be given antibiotics to minimize the risk of infection and heparin (a blood thinner) to prevent blood clots from forming. Our staff will be with you from the moment we pick you up in the hotel.

The Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgery
On average, surgery for gastric bypass takes about two hours and is performed under general anesthesia. We are using laparoscopy, a procedure in which a tiny video camera is inserted inside your abdomen. Through the laparoscope, the surgeon and team can view the procedure on a separate video monitor. The camera allows the surgeon to perform minimally invasive bariatric surgery that uses only a few small abdominal incisions. Compared to "open" surgery using more invasive techniques, laparoscopy has fewer complications, and patients can return to work and other activities more quickly. There is also a lower risk of infection and patients experience less pain after laparoscopic weight loss surgery.

Immediately after surgery, you will be taken to the recovery room. Once you have recovered from the anesthetics, you will be transferred to a private hospital room.

If you have been diagnosed with possible risk area's, you may require Intensive Care (ICU) monitoring for significant respiratory problems. or need to remain on the ventilator (breathing machine).

You will be required to get out of bed as soon as possible to improve your lung function and to prevent blood clots from forming in your legs. This should happen as early as six to eight hours after surgery, but definitely no later than the morning after surgery. In addition, you'll be shown breathing exercises that will lessen your risk of pneumonia. It's very important to follow our instructions regarding these exercises.

The following day after surgery, you will receive an upper gastrointestinal X-ray study. You will take nothing by mouth until this test is done.