Why the Unity Hospital Bariatric and Weight Loss Center is special
Teamwork. The Bariatric Center has put together a team of individuals
whose goal is to make the surgery experience better for patients. Each patient
is treated with respect and dignity, and every effort is made to guide patients
into a healthier lifestyle. This begins with our free weight loss surgery introductory meeting. We want to make sure that every patient is educated extensively prior
to surgery.
Thorough preparation for weight loss sugery
Teaching. One-to-one teaching is the next phase in surgical intervention.
Bariatric Nurse Clinicians review patient medical history and once more make
sure the patient understands the details of surgery and the lifestyle changes
to follow. This information is then sent to the insurance company to await pre-approval.
Before surgery. At this time, patients are asked to lose 10 percent of
their excess body weight before surgery is scheduled. Dr. Baker discovered through
hundreds of gastric bypass surgeries that this temporary loss of excessive fatty
deposits and liver shrinkage reduces surgery and anesthesia time, post-operative
complications, post-operative pain, and speeds recovery. This helps the surgeons
keep incisions small and patients' postoperative incision
pain minimal.
Smoking. Any patient who smokes must be smoke free for at least
eight weeks prior to surgery. Smokers are at higher risk for post-operative
complications such as pneumonia. Post-op smoking can cause irritation to the
newly created pouch.
Insurance. Clinic staff will inform patients when their insurance approval
comes in. Surgery can then be scheduled after a meeting with Dr. Daniel Baker,
Dr. Jeff Baker or Dr. Frederick Johnson.
What do expect when you have weight loss surgery
There is very little difference between our open and laproscopic surgery.
An oral-gastric tube is inserted during surgery to check for leakage. It is removed in the operating room while you are asleep.
Foley catheters and gastrostomy tubes are not routinely used.
Effective pain management is emphasized.
Our typical postoperative hospital length of stay is one to two days. Patients
must: be able to tolerate liquids; be comfortable on low dosage pain medications;
and be able to care for themselves before they can be discharged.
In a survey of randomly selected patients, there was uniform consensus of
satisfaction with the hospital experience and short length of stay.
Patient progress is assessed by all three surgeons and the surgeons' physician assistants.
Patients can go back to work anywhere from 10 days to six weeks, depending
on recovery and occupation - i.e. can't lift over 30 pounds for six weeks.
A liquids-only diet is required after surgery, followed by pureed foods. After the pureed food patients may resume eating regular foods -
introducing one new food at a time.
Post-operative follow up in the days, weeks, and months after surgery.
Images, our free monthly support groups, are held in many locations throughout
Minnesota.
Why choose us?
We have a first rate surgery team:
Combined, more than 4,000 Roux-en-Y
Rarely see infections, pneumonia, or blood clots
Little difference between open or laparoscopic
Mortality rate is 1 in 2,052 (nationally at 1 in 200)
We are a American Society for Bariatric Surgery Bariatric Surgery (ASBS) Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence with dedicated:
The Bariatric Centers of Allina Hospitals & Clinics
We're part of the Bariatric Centers of Allina Hospitals & Clinics, a network that offers choice of procedure, surgeon and location to people considering weight loss surgery. To learn more, visit www.allina.com/weightlosssurgery.
Unity Hospital Bariatric and Weight Loss Center
Unity Professional Building, Suite 200
500 Osborne Road NE
Fridley, MN 55432
763-236-2045
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