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Weight-loss surgery, also called bariatric surgery, is an effective way that can help people with severe obesity shed extra pounds and keep them off, according to the National Institutes of Health. In 2022, almost 280,000 of these procedures were performed in the United States.
There is a lot to consider before deciding if surgery is right for you. Read on for insights from Lloyd Stegemann, MD, a bariatric surgeon with the Better Weigh Center in Corpus Christi, Texas, on the possible benefits and risks of weight-loss surgery.
Sources: Medicare.gov. Bariatric surgery. Accesse... + 11
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- American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Estimate of Bariatric Surgery Numbers, 2011-2022. Page accessed February 23, 2024.
- Eisenberg D, Shikora SA, Aarts E, et al. 2022 American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO) Indications for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Obes Surg. 2023 Jan;33(1):3-14.
- American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Life After Bariatric Surgery. Page accessed February 23, 2024.
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- Mayo Clinic. Bariatric Surgery. October 18, 2023.
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