Weight-loss Surgery FAQ

When diet and exercise have not worked, there’s an alternative. John Yadegar, MD, Medical Director of the Bariatric Program at Palmdale Regional Medical Center, points out that weight-loss surgery is considered a last resort. Those who are candidates and who can make the necessary adjustments “do remarkably well,” he says.

Here, Dr. Yadegar answers some common questions.

Q: What’s the difference between the three kinds of weight-loss surgery?

In a gastric bypass, the top portion of the stomach is stapled to create a small pouch, which is connected to the small intestine. This reduces the amount of food eaten as well as absorption of calories. The gastric sleeve permanently removes 70 to 85 percent of the stomach, reducing hunger. In adjustable gastric banding (LAP-BAND^®), an inflatable band is placed around the upper part of the stomach. The new, smaller pouch limits stomach capacity and increases the feeling of fullness.

Q: How much weight can you expect to lose?

Gastric bypass is associated with the most weight loss, usually 80 to 85 percent of excess pounds. Sleeve surgery can shed about 75 percent of excess weight and LAP-BAND^® offers 55 to 60 percent. Some of my patients have lost 100 percent of their excess weight, but it depends on the motivation and commitment of the patient.

Q: Which kind of weight-loss surgery works best?

The type of surgery has to be matched to the patient, based on his or her lifestyle and medical conditions. For example, one patient was the captain of a ship. He was out at sea for weeks at a time. He wanted to have gastric bypass surgery, but if there would be a problem, he would have to be airlifted to a hospital and the ship would be left without its captain! The sleeve was a better choice for him. You have to consider these kinds of factors and make sure the method works in your life.

Q: Does the surgery keep weight off permanently?

It’s important to remember that weight-loss surgery involves more than an operation. Patients have to take a holistic approach that includes diet and exercise. At Palmdale Regional Medical Center, we offer a lot of support, understanding and ongoing education to make sure patients do well. In most cases, the results are great. Weight-loss surgery not only can improve a person’s health, it can also boost self-confidence and lead to better quality of life.

John Yadegar, MD

John Yadegar, MD is a diplomat of the American Board of Surgery and is fellowship trained in minimally invasive and bariatric surgery. He received his medical degree from the University College and Middlesex School of Medicine in London, with further education and training at Cambridge. He completed a fellowship at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

Dr. Yadegar continued his training at Harbor-UCLA, Sound Shore Medical Center in New York and Danbury Hospital / Yale in Connecticut. He completed his fellowship in minimally invasive and bariatric surgery at UCLA Medical Center, where he also served as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery. He is a member of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, New York Surgical Society, and was honored with the National Laparoscopic Resident of the Year award.

Individual results may vary. There are risks associated with any surgical procedure. Talk with your doctor about these risks to find out if bariatric surgery is right for you.