POST BARIATRIC SURGERY – LOS ANGELES

AFTER WEIGHTLOSS
Plastic Surgery for Men. Everything you need to know about Post Bariatric Surgery Procedures.

SURGERY AFTER MASSIVE WEIGHT LOSS/POST BARIATRIC SURGERY

With the rising epidemic of obesity in the United States, bariatric procedures have become more prevalent.  Data reviewed by the NIH between 2004-2011, revealed an overall prevalence of obesity among US  workers was 26.2%.  Surgeons and medical practitioners continue to battle the ongoing epidemic and are offering more and more options for patients to lose the unwanted weight.   This can range from lap banding surgery, bariatric sleeve gastrectomy, roux-en-y  gastric bypass (RYGB) to name examples of more invasive procedures.  Less invasive procedures have come to include gastric balloons, jaw wiring, and even less conventional procedures such as the tongue patch diet.  Some patients try to avoid surgery all together and have begun to employ HCG, appetite suppressants such as Phentermine, and even hormone replacement therapy to help stimulate the metabolism and avoid food cravings.   Yet others recognize the maladaptive behaviors in their life and do the hard work of dietary restriction and exercise to help drop the pounds.

Regardless of option employed by the patient, this can result in significant problems for patients after working hard to lose their weight.  Often patients come with cosmetic issues such as skin laxity and body contour irregularities that require correction to achieve a more satisfying outward appearance. While other massive weight loss patients present with functional complaints such as skin rashes, breakdown in abdominal and thigh folds, difficulties maintaining hygiene, and even difficulty in ambulating due to a weighty pannus or the intense weight of loose skin in the arms and legs.  All of these problems are similar in that they are the result of skin ptosis (hanging skin).

PROCEDURES OFFERED AFTER MASSIVE WEIGHT LOSS

After massive weight loss, we offer the following procedures to help give you the body you deserve after losing all that weight:

  • Brachioplasty (arm reduction surgery)
  • Abdominplasty (tummy tuck)
  • Belt Lipectomy
  • Breast lift
  • Breast lift with augmentation
  • Pectoral lift
  • Back lift (bra-line lift)
  • Lateral thoracic lift
  • Buttock lift
  • Thigh lift
  • Liposuction
  • Fat grafting to the face, buttocks, and breast to replenish lost volume.
  • Muscle augmentation surgery/Body Implants for addition of volume.

RISKS AND COMPLICATIONS

As with any surgery, there are always risks and complications that may occur.  Surgery in the post bariatric is no different and in fact may carry more risks than surgery in the average patient.  Particularly in those that have had bariatric surgery, protein insufficiency in the diet and vitamin and mineral deficiencies may play into increased risks of complications.  For this reason, we perform comprehensive pre-operative testing and suggest that patients continue supplements as ordered by their primary treating physicians.  Some patients with multiple co-morbidities may be asked to undergo further testing or obtain a medic al clearance from a primary care physician prior to undergoing more invasive/lengthy procedures.

Complications that are typically seen in patients undergoing surgery after massive weight loss/post bariatric surgery include but are not limited to:

  • Seroma
  • Hematoma
  • Wound dehiscence
  • Infection
  • Deep venous thromboembolism (DVT)
  • Skin necrosis

After Surgery

Dr. Chugay recommends that patients stay off of work approximately 2 weeks to allow for healing to take place. Special dressings will be applied to the area post-operatively that will be removed on your first post-operative visit several days after surgery. After approximately one month, patients can slowly resume exercise at a less intense pace and are back to normal activity by 6 weeks after surgery.