Who is eligible for surgery?

I just want to be within normal weight, not skinny, not very thin. I want my blood pressure to lower so I don’t have to take medication, I don’t want to develop diabetes, arthritis in my knees, cancer, all these things. I want to wear nice clothes. I want to feel comfortable in my body and I’ve got grandchildren, I’d like to do more things with them.

– Wendy (pseudonym)

Weight-loss surgery (also known as bariatric surgery) is sometimes confused for liposuction, in which fat is removed from the body. Liposuction is a cosmetic surgery in which weight returns after a few months. It is ineffective for weight-loss. Perth Surgical and Bariatrics only offers effective, safe and lasting weight-loss procedures for patients who will commit to long-term lifestyle changes, including diet and exercise. We do not offer liposuction.

The Australian Medical Association states there is only a very limited role for pharmacological treatments (medicines) for obesity. They have found that bariatric surgery is an effective measure for long term reductions in weight and improved health outcomes. The Australian Institute of Health and Well-being is the Australian government’s medical statistics agency. They have found that weight loss surgery in Australia is typically sought for:

Treating obesity (68% of the time)

Adjusting and manage implanted devices such as a gastric band (13.1%)

Revisional surgery for a complication of other internal prosthetic devices, implants and grafts (8.3%)

Treating Type 2 diabetes mellitus (6.5%)

Postprocedural disorders of the digestive system (0.6%)

Other diagnoses (3.2%)

Individuals with obesity

Medical research has established that bariatric weight-loss surgery is safe and usually results in 20–30 kg weight loss for those with obesity. That’s 20–30% body weight for those with a BMI greater than 35 kg/m2.

You may have heard that some people who have had bariatric weight-loss surgery regain some of the weight. That’s true, 15% of a patient’s maximum weight loss is usually regained. That process typically begins 2 years after surgery. However, their initial weight loss is maintained for 10 years on average. Those patients who do not lose weight tend to have neglected the diet that was prescribed to them after their surgery. It’s not the surgery that’s failed the patient, but the patient that’s failed the surgery. But why be that exception? Perth Surgical and Bariatrics provides great support for patients to successfully keep off the excess weight

Individuals with morbid obese and other weight-related conditions

Adults

Weight loss surgery is the most effective treatment for morbid obesity. In fact, weight loss surgery is the only treatment offering both significant and sustained weight-loss. That’s because dieting and exercise are very limited in their long-term effectiveness once morbid obesity has set in. Weight loss surgery leads to greater weight-loss, remission of type 2 diabetes and metabolic disorder for those with compared to non-surgical treatment.

Youth

Morbidly obese adolescents can also benefit from substantial weight-loss and the resolution of weight-related conditions from bariatric weight-loss surgery. Children can also benefit from significant and sustained weight-loss due to weight-loss surgery, but they are a greater risk for serious complications. Parents and guardians should note that children and adolescents may be sensitive to discussions about weight if they have been teased or bullied about their shape.

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19 - 25 Normal
25 - 30 Overweight
30 - 35 Class I Obese
35 - 40 Class II Obese
40 - 50 Morbidly Obese
> 50 Super Obese

Who is eligible for surgery?