Adolescent

Surgical Options – Weight Loss for Teens

If you are exploring the idea of weight loss surgery for your teen, you often find that many people believe bariatric surgery as a treatment option should be considered a “last resort” or that it should be utilized only for those who have an extremely high BMI or who have developed multiple chronic illnesses directly related to their weight. While certainly, individuals with a high BMI or who have developed health consequences related to their weight are candidates for surgery, the ideal candidate is someone who is younger and healthier who has yet to develop those health conditions related to their weight. Aside from the many physical health improvements that occur with significant weight loss, there are substantially improved quality of life outcomes to consider. For more information on adolecent obesity click here.Bariatric surgical procedures cause weight loss by restricting the amount of food the stomach can hold, causing malabsorption of nutrients, or by a combination of both gastric restriction and malabsorption. Bariatric procedures also often cause changes in the hormones that can affect appetite and satiety (feeling of fullness.) Most weight loss surgeries today are performed using minimally invasive techniques (laparoscopic surgery).

The most common weight loss surgeries for teens are sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass. Each surgery has its own advantages and disadvantages.

At Tri Star Center for Weight Management, of the 500+ procedures we perform annually, the vertical sleeve gastrectomy, is the most commonly performed procedure, followed by gastric bypass, duodenal switch and gastric banding. We encourage our patients to learn as much as they can about the different procedures.

Please click on each of the procedures to learn more:

and click here to view a description of each procedure by our surgeons.

If you would like more information on weight loss surgery for teens at TriStar Centennial Center for Weight Management please visit our contact us or call 615­-342­-1231.