For what medical conditions can weight reduction be recommended?

Weight reduction may be lifesaving for patients with extreme obesity.

• Weight reduction is highly desirable in patients with extreme obesity.

Weight reduction is highly desirable in patients with lesser degree of obesity in the following circumstances:

• Non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus
  
• Family history of diabetes mellitus
  
• Women with a history of gestational diabetes or birth
  of an infant large for gestational age
  
• Hypertension (when due to a specific, identifiable cause)
  
• Hypertriglyceridemia or hypercholesterolemia

In cases where excessive weight imposes functional burdens, weight reduction may improve functioning of the affected system, organ, or region, such as heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and osteoarthritis of the spine, hips, or knees.

Weight reduction in the treatment of these conditions should be under the direction of a physician.

Particular attention should be paid to efforts to reduce weight in younger patients.

What is the criteria for being eligible for surgical management of obesity?*

• 100 pounds or more over ideal body weight (IBW) or BMI > 40.
  Use the Calculator on the Left to Determine your BMI (Body Mass Index)
  
  
• Low probability of success with non-surgical measures
  
• Well informed and motivated patients with acceptable
  operative risks
  
• Should have the capacity to ensure participation in treatment
  and long term follow-up

LESS SEVERELY OBESE PATIENTS (75 - 100 POUNDS OVER IBW)
WITH OBESITY RELATED DISEASES (NIH 1991)

• Sleep apnea and Pickwickian Syndrome
  
• Heart disease (cardiomyopathy)
  
• Poorly controlled diabetes
  
• Poorly controlled hypertension
  
• Physical problems significantly interfering with lifestyle
  (e.g. joint disease treatable but for the obesity,
  or body size problems precluding or severely
  interfering with employment, family function, ambulation, etc.)

CONTRAINDICATIONS TO OBESITY SURGERY

• Drug dependency
  
• Alcohol dependency
  
• Psychoses

*(criteria from NIH 1991)

If you suffer from obesity and would like to schedule a consult, you can download our obesity datasheet here via our secure server. After filling the obesity datasheet out, please return it to info@obesity-surgery.net.