Weight Loss Drugs vs. Bariatric Surgery – Which is Right For You?
If you’re trying to lose weight and finding it difficult, you may have considered taking medications or undergoing bariatric surgery. Both of these... read more
Options for a Healthier Future
“I feel as though I have a whole new life.”
Sydney Lewis, 16-year-old bariatric patient, suffered from polycystic ovarian syndrome—a hormonal disorder that causes weight gain, pelvic pain, and infertility.
Lewis said, “There were times when I’d be curled in a ball on the floor frozen in pain. It was a question whether I could have kids in the future.”
After losing almost 100 pounds, Lewis’s reproductive health is out of jeopardy.
Weight loss continues to become less about social stigma and appearances and more about health. With so many obesity-related diseases on the rise, bariatric surgery could be the answer for a healthy life.
Research is finding positive results for adolescents pursuing bariatric surgery! The New England Journal of Medicine reported that 242 adolescents—three years after bariatric surgery—showed improved quality of life:
- Patients were at a healthier weight and had improved cardiovascular and metabolic health.
- The adolescent patients lost an average of 100 pounds.
- 95% of patients went into remission for Type 2 diabetes.
- 86% had kidney functions return to normal.
- 74% achieved remission for hypertension.
Dr. Sadek explains the benefits of adolescent bariatric surgery, stating, “We go through vigorous pre-operative social and psychological evaluation to make sure they understand the procedure. The changes in these patients are amazing. You see them come back and they are finally able to smile.”
Our team at Advanced Surgical and Bariatrics gives priority to health when considering adolescents for bariatric surgery. For our adolescent patients, we have an extensive screening process that includes:
- Verification that 6 months of weight management have failed according to your primary care physician.
- Physiologic maturity has been reached.
- A BMI of 40 kg/m2 and two obesity-related conditions or a BMI of 50 with less-serious conditions.
- A commitment to lifestyle and diet changes after surgery.
- Pregnancy is avoided for 1-year post-operation.
- Informed consent for bariatric surgery.
- A supportive family environment.
Advanced Surgical and Bariatrics leads the nation in adolescent bariatric surgeries. As the experts in the field, we offer the safest bariatric options with proven long-term results:
- Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy (Gastric Sleeve)
- Laparoscopic Gastric Banding (Lap-Band)
On average, patients lose around 50% of their excess body weight with these surgery options. (Source: Bariatric Surgery, A Systemic Review and Meta Analysis, 2004)
Bariatric surgery is just as safe for teenagers as it is for adults.
Weight-loss surgery can transform lives.
For patients like Sydney Lewis, adolescent bariatric surgery could improve their lives for the future. Effectively losing excess weight early in life gives adolescents the chance to live healthier adult lives.
Even after our rigorous standards, three to four million adolescents qualify for bariatric surgery, but only about 1,000 end up having the operation.
For a healthier future, adolescent bariatric surgery could be the right choice.
At Advanced Surgical and Bariatrics, we know bariatric surgery improves quality of life and gives young patients the opportunity to live healthier lives. No matter the age, we are ready to help.
Come talk to our experts about the sleeve gastrectomy and LAP-Band options for adolescents!
Check out the resources we provide our patients by visiting https://www.bariatricsurgerynewjersey.com/
Dr. Ragui Sadek is a premier surgeon who established a state-of-the-art and one of the safest bariatric surgery programs in the state. Dr. Sadek has fellowship training in both laparoscopic/bariatric surgery and surgical trauma/critical care, allowing him to safely perform complex surgeries on patients who have been turned down by other practices. As a Clinical Assistant Professor of surgery at RWJ Medical School & the Director of bariatric surgery program at RWJ University Hospital, Dr. Sadek offers a cutting-edge range of laparoscopic, robotic, & bariatric surgical procedures with a complication rate substantially below the national average.
Dr. Sadek is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery at Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Having performed more than three thousand advanced surgical procedures, Dr. Sadek has established a strong patient satisfaction rate and a solid reputation among the surgical community and is renowned as a top physician in his field by International Association of Healthcare Professionals. As a board-certified surgeon, he holds affiliations with the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and the Society of American Gastro Endoscopic Surgeons. More about Dr. Sadek
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