Bariatrics

Bariatric surgery (weight-loss surgery) includes a variety of procedures performed on people who are obese. Weight loss is achieved by reducing the size of the stomach with an implanted medical device (gastric banding) or through removal of a portion of the stomach (sleeve gastrectomy) or by resecting and re-routing the small intestines to a small stomach pouch (gastric bypass surgery). Long-term studies show the procedures cause significant long-term loss of weight, recovery from diabetes, improvement in cardiovascular risk factors, and a reduction in mortality of between 23% and 40%. At Tenet Florida Physician Services, our physicians are specially trained in the field of bariatrics and are part of the Surgical Weight Loss Centers across South Florida. These centers include: Coral Gables Hospital, Florida Medical Center - a campus of North Shore, North Shore Medical Center and Hialeah Hospital. Our hospital, Florida Medical Center - a campus of North Shore located in Lauderdale Lakes, Florida has been designated a “Bariatric Center of Excellence” by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). Over 3000 surgeries have been performed. Our bariatric surgeons perform the following procedures:

When to See a Bariatric Surgeon?

Tenet Florida Physician Services (TFPS) bariatric surgeons provide bariatric surgery options for people who are 100 or more pounds overweight or have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or more or who have a BMI of 35 or more with one or more co-morbidities like hypertension or high cholesteral. Many times patients are referred to a bariatric surgeon by their primary care physician, cardiologist or endocrinologist. However, many times patients also self refer. Either way, the Tenet Florida Physician Services Bariatric team will be happy to work with you and your primary care physician to achieve your desired outcomes. Here are some of the successful outcomes many patients have experienced after having bariatric surgery with our program:

The average patient’s weight loss with a gastric bypass has been 70% of excess weight within 12 months.
Most patients with type 2 diabetes are able to discontinue medications and maintain normal blood sugar levels.
Most patients with hypertension are able to sustain normal blood pressure readings after discontinuing medications following surgery.
Most patients with sleep apnea will not require treatments following surgery.
Most patients experience higher levels of energy.