New National Patient and Surgeon Surveys Show Post-Surgical Care Critical to Optimal Weight Loss After Bariatr...(rgery. Surgeons believe commitment to di...),Health

According to the survey, surgeons believe patients choose gastric bypass over gastric banding because it results in more weight loss (51%), they knew someone who had it (40%), to lose weight more quickly (34%) and for "better comorbidity resolution" (23%). They say patients choose gastric banding over bypass because it's less invasive (63%), safer (59%), reversible (55%), results in fewer complications (41%) and because they knew someone who had it (25%).

Life Before Surgery

On average, patients tried 24 diets and exercise programs before surgery and have been obese for about 20 years. Two-thirds (67%) of patients reported having an average of five obesity-related conditions. They considered bariatric surgery for about three years before deciding to have surgery and about one-quarter of them were denied insurance coverage about three times before getting approval. About 60 percent of patients report that their health worsened during this waiting period. Improving their health (25%), losing weight (20%) and resolving disease (17%) were top reasons patients opted for bariatric surgery while only 3 percent said they wanted surgery for cosmetic reasons. Almost three times as many patients thought they were more likely to die from obesity (64%) than from bariatric surgery (24%).

Surgeons say most patients come on their own accord (44%) or are referred from a primary care practitioner (36%). Most patients come to the surgeon requesting a specific type of procedure (68%).

About the Surveys

Online surveys were conducted in April and May 2008 among 282 surgeons and 409 patients (208 gastric bypass surgery patients and 201 gastric band surgery patients).

Bariatric and general surgeons who performed bariatric surgery for at least three years, and at least 100 s
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