| The majority of Surgical Associates bariatric surgeries are done at Saint
Francis Hospital. Saint Francis is devoted to quality patient care with
emphasis on dignity and support for our patients. The hospital provides
state of the art medical equipment with emphasis on the special needs of
the bariatric patient.
Participating
in a Center of Excellence approach is an important focus for our team.
Only qualified anesthesiologists have been selected to be part of our surgical
team. You will have an opportunity to meet one of the anesthesiologists
before surgery for an in-depth discussion of the anesthetic techniques,
anticipated outcomes, and potential complications. This is a time
for you to ask questions and feel secure with understanding anesthetic
technique.
The
surgery usually takes from 60 to 90 minutes. If the procedure is
performed by the “open” technique, a vertical incision will vary from three
to six inches in the upper abdomen area; the “laparoscopic” procedure requires
5 ½ inch incisions. The hospital stay using our advanced technique
is usually 2 to 3 days. An important requirement of your immediate
postoperative care involves moving, walking, coughing, and deep breathing.
Frequent use of the breathing device, called an incentive spirometer (provided
during the preop visit), may help prevent pulmonary complications.
You may use an abdominal binder that supports the abdominal muscles and
incision. You will be given further instructions on this before and
after your operation.
Remember,
the more you move and walk, the less risk you face of blood clots forming
or developing pneumonia, and your energy will return much quicker.
You
will be discharged from the hospital only when your surgeon determines
it is safe for you to return home. All patients are treated as individuals
and discharge time may vary form patient to patient. |
