How much weight loss does bariatric surgery produce?

According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, patients can lose an average of between 50% and 80% of excess weight one year after surgery. Results vary by patient and procedure.

How do I learn more about bariatric surgery?

To get started, call 337-233-9900.

Bariatric Surgery: Lafayette

Why choose Ochsner Lafayette General for bariatric surgery?

Excess weight can affect your overall health. The bariatric surgery program at Ochsner Lafayette General helps patients create a healthier future through surgery or medical weight loss. Our team will work together to make a plan that helps you reach your goals. Your team will be led by a surgeon who has advanced training in weight loss surgeries. This means our doctors have special skills and experience to perform these surgeries and provide follow-up care. This training is the highest level a surgeon can achieve.

If you choose bariatric surgery, our team will help you improve your health before the surgery and support you as you make important lifestyle changes afterward.

The doctors who perform surgery at our facility have extensive experience and special training in specific types of surgeries, including using advanced technology and methods. Our focus is on providing quality care to our patients throughout their surgery process.
You will receive care from a nurse practitioner, who is dedicated to bariatric patients. This proves very helpful to our patients, as most of the follow-up after surgery is related to issues such as ensuring adequate vitamin levels and changes in various medications as you lose weight.
A bariatric patient advocate will be here to help you. We provide full-time staff members who devote all of their time to helping you through the insurance and financing process.
You will receive education from our weight loss counselors. Our team includes a program nurse and behavior modification educator, who will work with you to build healthy habits. These professionals will provide education and work closely with you during your weight loss surgery journey. We offer both individual and group classes to accommodate each patient’s needs.
A dietitian will help you learn about proper nutrition. Our team of bariatric-trained dietitian specializes in the unique needs of bariatric surgery patients. They provide education to our patients in both private consultations and group sessions before and after surgery.
Your mental health matters, too. We offer you access to a licensed professional counselor experienced in the treatment of people suffering from obesity. They meet with all patients before, during and after their bariatric surgery.
Our support groups are here to help you thrive. Our monthly support groups are led by a team of bariatric professionals to bring you discussions on topics related to life after surgical weight loss.

At Ochsner General & Bariatric Surgery we understand obesity is a disease, and we treat it as such. We offer you the best surgical weight loss program in Lafayette that combines skilled surgeons with a talented staff of bariatric specialists and patient care experts. Our team will treat you with the dignity and respect you deserve, while also offering support for the rest of your life. Let us help you change your life for the better – starting today.

Finding the right weight loss option is crucial to your success in losing weight and keeping it off. We’re here to help you do just that. We offer a full range of bariatric procedures – as well as a non-surgical weight loss program – to meet your unique needs.

There are two different ways that bariatric procedures work: restriction and malabsorption.

Restriction helps you to feel satisfied while eating less food.

Malabsorption limits the number of calories and nutrients your body can absorb. The surgeon reroutes the small intestine so that fewer calories and nutrients are absorbed.

Regardless of which type of procedure is right for you, our team will provide you with expert care and total support from surgery throughout your entire weight loss journey.

Gastric sleeve surgery is a weight loss surgery that removes a large part of the stomach. This leaves a smaller, narrow tube that helps you feel full faster, even when you eat less. It’s the most common weight loss surgery.

During the surgery, the doctor uses a stapling device to remove the outer part of the stomach, called the greater curve. Afterward, only a small, tube-like part of the stomach remains to carry food into the intestines, which are not changed.

Because the stomach is smaller, it fills up quickly with small amounts of food. This makes it easier for patients to eat less and still feel full. As a result, they often lose a lot of weight.

One reason the gastric sleeve is popular is that it doesn’t involve moving the intestines like in gastric bypass surgery. It also doesn’t affect how the body absorbs nutrients, but patients still need to take vitamin supplements and have regular doctor check-ups because they eat much less food.

The gastric sleeve is also preferred over the gastric band because there’s no plastic band inside the body, and there’s no need for regular follow-up or adjustments like with the band.

The surgeons at Ochsner General & Bariatric Surgery have been performing gastric bypass since 1982 – so you know you can trust our team’s experience and skill. We have been performing this procedure laparoscopically since 1982 – and today the procedure is performed this way in 99% of our cases.

The surgery uses a special stapling device to create a small pouch at the top of the stomach. This pouch is about the size of a thumb and can hold only 15 milliliters of food, which is smaller than an egg yolk. Because it’s so small, patients feel full after eating just a few bites. This helps them lose weight, as they can’t eat as much.

The Duodenal Switch is a complex weight loss surgery usually recommended for people who are extremely obese. It has been shown to help patients lose a significant amount of weight and improve their health in the long term.

This surgery is typically suggested for individuals with a BMI over 50, although there can be exceptions. One of the main benefits of the Duodenal Switch is that it can help patients lose up to 85% of their excess weight, leading to major improvements in overall health.

Unlike other weight loss surgeries that make the stomach pouch smaller, the Duodenal Switch creates a slightly larger pouch. This helps limit the amount of food a person can eat, which contributes to weight loss.

When surgery isn’t an option, a gastric balloon can be a good alternative. It’s a simple, minimally invasive procedure where one or more balloons are placed into the stomach through the mouth. The doctor fills the balloons with air or a saline solution, which takes up space in the stomach.

Because the stomach becomes smaller with the balloon inside, patients feel full faster and eat less. This, combined with a healthy diet and exercise plan, helps patients make lasting changes to their eating habits and supports long-term success.

Ochsner General & Bariatric Surgery offers two types of gastric balloon systems: the Obalon Balloon System and the ORBERA Gastric Balloon.

Obalon Balloon System

This system involves placing three small, air-filled balloons into the stomach over three visits to the doctor. It helps patients feel full with less food. The Obalon system lasts for six months and works best when combined with a nutrition and exercise plan for lasting weight loss.

ORBERA Gastric Balloon

The ORBERA system uses a soft, silicone balloon that is inserted into the stomach without surgery. It is then filled with saline until it’s about the size of a grapefruit. This system lasts for 12 months and includes coaching on nutrition and lifestyle changes. After six months, the balloon is removed, but the patient continues to get support and coaching for the rest of the year.

Bariatric surgery is the most effective way for many people to lose a lot of weight. However, some patients may regain weight or not lose as much as they expected. If this happens, our surgeons will carefully review the first surgery and other factors to understand what went wrong. In some cases, a second surgery, called revisional bariatric surgery, may be needed to fix or adjust the original procedure.

There are two main reasons people seek revisional surgery at Ochsner General & Bariatric Surgery. Some patients experience serious side effects or problems from their first surgery that affect their daily life. Other patients may not have lost enough weight after the first surgery and want another procedure to help them reach their goals.

The first step in the revisional surgery process is to contact the Ochsner Health Center - General Surgery and Bariatrics office and schedule an appointment. You will meet with one of our bariatric surgeons, who will answer your questions and evaluate your previous surgery to figure out what needs to be changed.

Our team of bariatric specialists has created a medically supervised program for people who want to lose weight without surgery. This program is designed to help you lose weight, keep it off, and make lasting changes to your life.

The goal is to help you safely lose weight by learning new habits and making healthier food choices. It’s a program focused on lifestyle changes, and it will be customized to fit your personal goals and needs.

The program takes place at Ochsner General & Bariatric Surgery, with scheduled visits every Tuesday. During these visits, you’ll meet with a dietitian, a behavior change educator, and an exercise specialist.

You can choose from a three-month, six-month, or one-year plan. Throughout the program, you'll receive continuous support from experienced professionals to help you succeed.

Learn more about our bariatric offerings in Lafayette.

FAQs

The right type of surgery differs from patient to patient. Each of the procedures we offer can help patients lose weight and improve their health. Your bariatric surgeon will help determine the most appropriate procedure based on your health and goals.

Weight loss results will vary by patient and procedure.

You’ll need to commit to healthy lifestyle changes to maintain long-term weight loss. It’s critical to follow a vitamin regimen, a healthy diet and exercise plan and have consistent follow-up appointments and lab work.