Many patients enjoy renewed mobility while reducing or eliminating risk factors for diabetes, heart attacks and other conditions. 
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Indications for surgery vary depending on age, weight, height and other co-existing diseases. Standard accepted guidelines generally include patients between the ages of 18 and 65 with BMIs of 40 or greater. 
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Bernita Berntsen, MD, and Carlyle Dunshee II, MD, two Tallgrass surgeons who perform bariatric procedures, emphasize that patients considering laparoscopic surgical weight loss must be fully informed about the risks and benefits of the procedures and underscore that psychological and physical readiness factors must be addressed upfront. “We review their medical history, diet history and health issues and review the risks, the process of eating after surgery and lifestyle changes that they will need to make for long term success,” Dr. Berntsen said. “Because prospective patients have been dealing with obesity issues for a long time, they often come with a mindset of ‘let’s do this tomorrow,’ but we need to make sure they come to the informational sessions, read material and talk to others so they can determine whether surgery is a good option for them and if so which one,” Dr. Dunshee II said. Dr. Dunshee II emphasizes that the procedures “are a treatment, not a cure.” Since 2002, Tallgrass surgeons have completed more than 1,650 bariatric surgeries at St. Francis Health Center and Tallgrass Surgical Center. St. Francis has been designated a Center of Excellence by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. The cost for gastric band surgery is typically about $13,000, whereas gastric bypass and BPD/DS surgery costs about $25,000. “These are some of the most satisfying surgeries we do because we can see the positive impact it can have on a person’s life,” Dr. Dunshee II said. “A 15-year study of 1,000 patients showed that 80 percent of those with type 2 diabetes no longer had it after gastric bypass surgery.” For more information, please call Beth Williams, St. Francis director of medical surgical nursing, at 785-295-5426; Brenda Holliday, Tallgrass bariatric coordinator, at 785-228-4773; or Rachelle Garland, Tallgrass certified bariatric nurse, at 785-228-4761. |
