According to research presented recently at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, obese patients looking to get a joint replacement are more likely to have success with their hip or knee surgery if they first undergo a bariatric procedure. While bariatric surgery from talented surgeons like Michael Feiz, M.D., F.A.C.S. is by no means a silver bullet to weight loss, it is a reliable tool to help patients achieve the portion control necessary for consistent, positive progress. Because joint replacements typically have worse outcomes with obese individuals, losing the weight before having a joint replacement can increase the chance of success.
Not only did bariatric procedures help patients avoid the pain of future failed joint replacements, it was also proven to be cost effective. Although the initial cost that insurance companies pay for the bariatric surgery is often high, the weight that patients lose after the surgery often saves them from having an equally expensive follow up surgery for their joint replacement. Additionally, losing weight has been shown by other studies to save patients a great amount of money by not having to pay for all of the medical expenses that go along with obesity and its related comorbidities like diabetes and heart disease.
While the benefits of bariatric surgery have been proven to outweigh the risks nationwide, it is still important to have your procedure done by the best in your area. For anyone considering weight loss surgery in Southern California, Dr. Feiz one of the most respected surgeons both because of his practice's zero percent mortality rate, and because of the excellent post-operative support that his office provides patients. The process of losing weight after bariatric surgery is a journey that requires support, and especially with an additional joint replacement surgery on the horizon, patients need to be sure that they are doing everything that they can to set themselves up for success.
It's also important to note that people who have already had a bariatric procedure like a Lap Band, but haven't lost the weight that they have hoped before a joint replacement procedure can also go to Dr. Feiz for a revision surgery. Dr. Feiz is highly regarded for his ability to perform Lap Band to Gastric Sleeve revision surgery and renew patients' hope for successful weight loss. The sleeve gastrectomy procedure has additional hormonal benefits not provided by the Lap Band procedure that can help many patients curb hunger cravings.
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