The Types Of Bariatric Testing And What They Mean For Surgery

With more than two-thirds of the United States population being diagnosed as overweight or obese, the incidence of weight loss surgery is more common than ever. However, not only is anyone eligible to undergo gastric bypass or gastric bypass surgery. Before any surgery can be performed, each patient must undergo a battery bariatric test first. These tests, as well as other conditions, will determine whether the individual is the primary target for bariatric surgery as a solution for weight loss.

Bariatric surgery can cause you to lose weight by changing your digestive system. To be considered a candidate for bariatric tests, you must be at least 100 pounds overweight, and for years. You should also try to lose weight on your own, or through a diet plan, without success. As stated today, there are four popular procedures performed to help patients lose weight, and the results of this test, as well as the amount of weight loss, and other medical conditions will determine which procedure is right for you.

Types of Bariatric Testing

There are several physical and psychological tests that candidates for bariatric surgery must pass before they can be approved for surgical procedures. No two patients are the same, and the test is needed to determine if the patient can handle everything in their life that surgery will change.

The first test is an electrocardiogram, and is basically done to make sure the patient has no heart condition or suffers from pulmonary hypertension, both of which complicate the surgical procedure. Depending on the patient's medical history, tests on the liver, kidneys and overall lung function may also be performed, if it is thought to have a direct effect on the procedure, and after care.

Sleep studies are also often used as a pre-surgical examination. Whether a patient has sleep apnea, insomnia, or other sleep disorders does not necessarily rule out being a good candidate, but if sleep disorders do exist, their severity may influence the choice of surgical procedures open to the patient.

Finally, a battery of psychological and nutritional tests will be performed to keep patients emotionally prepared for the lifestyle changes that need to be made along with the surgery, and to determine if surgery is the right choice for them. If the patient has any obsession or coercion about food, it can rule them out as candidates for weight loss surgery.

After Bariatric Test

Before and after the test, your doctor and surgeon will discuss your options for surgery. Today, the current options are gastric bypass, round band, duodenal switch, or arm gastrectomy. The test results, as well as your body mass index, and the amount of weight you need to lose will reduce your choice for surgery.

In most cases, patients are put on a pre-op diet, up to three months before the actual surgery. The diet will be low in fat, calories and carbohydrates, but high in protein. This diet is similar to what you will do after surgery, so this pre-surgery diet actually prepares your body for future changes. The diet itself, as well as the time period you will be on it before the surgery, and the surgery that will follow it are all determined by the results of the bariatric test session. This requires a commitment of time and patience, and certainly not an overnight solution.

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