For more than 30 years, Mobile Infirmary has specialized in weight loss
procedures and long-term care to help patients take control of their weight
and their health. We are committed to providing you excellent care and
ongoing support in your weight loss journey. To help you reach your goals,
we offer a wide range of services and supports, many at absolutely no
cost to you. As the Gulf Coast's first and most comprehensive surgical
weight loss program, Mobile Infirmary offers our bariatric surgery patients:
No-cost weight loss surgery seminars for interested patients
Preoperative education and access to support groups for patients and their
support team
On-staff bariatric dieticians
Specially trained nursing staff working in a dedicated bariatric surgical unit
Private rooms with specialized equipment and furniture
Advanced bariatric surgical technology, including daVinci robotic surgery
Post-operative education and lifetime support
Lifetime access to support group meetings, both in person and online
Complimentary three-month membership to Infirmary Fitness Centers
No-cost one-on-one consultation with an exercise physiologist
Weight Loss Surgery Facts
Is weight loss surgery right for me?
When most people consider weight loss surgery, they have tried for years
to lose weight. Fad diets, extreme exercise regimens, and gym memberships
have left them exhausted and looking for a solution that can really work.
They know the frustration of losing weight by intense and extraordinary
changes, only to regain after the fad diet fails or when they are injured
during extreme exercise.
Weight loss surgery is not the answer for everyone, but it may be an option for you. Weight loss surgery isn’t a quick fix but provides a powerful tool
to make lasting diet and lifestyle changes that support a healthy weight
and a healthy life. Choosing to have surgery is a major decision. Mobile
Infirmary offers free informational seminars to help you begin your research
and decision-making.
Do I qualify for bariatric surgery?
To qualify for bariatric surgery, you must meet all of the following criteria:
Have a BMI over 40 or BMI over 35 with a diagnosis related to obesity such
as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, or sleep apnea
Have documentation that you have been unable to achieve a healthy BMI for
a sustained period of time (determined by your insurance provider)
Be willing to actively participate in follow-up care and bariatric support
group meetings
Where do I start?
If you think you may qualify for bariatric surgery, you’ll want to
speak with one of our excellent and experienced surgeons. Two surgical
groups offer bariatric surgery at Mobile Infirmary: Infirmary Surgical
Specialists and Surgical Association of Mobile (SAMPA). Either practice
will be pleased to schedule a consultation for you.
These practices provide complimentary informational seminars, presented
by a highly qualified bariatric surgeon. These seminars provide you an
opportunity to learn more about the risks and benefits of surgery as well
as details of each procedure.
We perform several different types of weight loss surgery at Mobile Infirmary.
Which surgery is best for you is a decision you will make with your surgeon.
Each surgery is different, just as each patient is different. Your surgeon
may recommend one procedure over another based on your existing health
conditions and needs. No matter which surgery you ultimately choose, we
are committed to caring for you and helping you achieve your weight loss
and health goals.
da Vinci Bariatric Surgery
Instead of the large abdominal incision used in open surgery, most bariatric
surgeries at Mobile Infirmary are either laparoscopic, or robotic, using
the da Vinci surgical system. Laparoscopic surgeries use small incisions,
cameras, and special instruments to perform your surgery, while da Vinci
robotic surgery uses similar small incisions, with your surgeon guiding
the robot through your operation.
The da Vinci System features a magnified 3D high-definition vision system
and special wristed instruments that bend and rotate far greater than
the human wrist. These features enable your surgeon to operate with enhanced
vision, precision, dexterity, and control. Both da Vinci robotic surgery
and traditional laparoscopic surgery offer lower rates of complication
and shorter hospital stays than traditional open surgeries.
As a result of da Vinci technology, da Vinci Surgery offers the following
potential benefits:
Low rate of complications
Low rate of wound infections
Short hospital stay
As a result of da Vinci technology, da Vinci Bariatric Surgery offers the
following potential benefits compared to traditional laparoscopy:
Much lower rate of gastrointestinal leaks
Lower risk of needing follow-up surgery
Lower risk of converting to open surgery
Reduced surgeon fatigue (due to the da Vinci System ergonomics)
Weight Loss Procedures
Gastric bypass (Bypass or Roux-en-Y) During this procedure, the surgeon creates a smaller stomach pouch and
attaches a Y-shaped section of the small intestine directly to the pouch.
This allows food to bypass a large portion of the small intestine, where
calories and nutrients are absorbed. Having the smaller stomach pouch
causes patients to feel fuller sooner and, therefore, eat less. The changes
made to the anatomy during gastric bypass are fully reversible if needed
in the future.
Gastric Sleeve (Sleeve Gastrectomy, Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy or "the
Sleeve") During sleeve resection, the surgeon creates a small, sleeve-shaped stomach,
which is larger than the stomach pouch created during Roux-en-Y bypass.
No changes are made to the intestines. Changes made to the stomach are
not reversible.
Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch (BPD/DS, or “the Switch”) Biliopancreatic Diversion is a complex procedure. The gallbladder is removed,
and the stomach is resected in a way similar to the sleeve gastrectomy
above. Much of the small intestine is bypassed, greatly limiting nutrient
absorption. This surgery is only available to patients who meet their
surgeon’s specific criteria.
Adjustable Gastric Banding A silicone band and an injection port are implanted during gastric banding.
The silicone band is placed around the upper part of the stomach and molds
the stomach into two connected chambers. The injection port is attached
to the abdominal wall, underneath the skin, and connected to the band
with soft, thin tubing. The doctor injects saline solution into your band
through the port. Adding saline increases the restriction of the band
and helps the patients feel fuller sooner. Surgeons now utilize single
incision laparoscopic surgery through the belly button for some gastric
banding procedures. Reducing the number of incisions means faster recovery
times, less pain and less risk of infection or bleeding.
What Else Can I Do?
Speak With Your Insurance Company
Ask your insurance provider what benefits are available to you. You can
look in your plan coverage booklet or speak to a customer service representative.
Questions to ask:
What procedures are covered?
What are my plan’s requirements to authorize surgery?
What is my deductible, and will I have a co-pay?
Select a Surgeon to Work With
Schedule consultations with surgeons, ask for recommendations, and read
reviews. Meet your selected surgeon to determine what pre-operative steps
you need to take as you prepare for bariatric surgery. Establish a relationship
with your surgeon and their staff, as they will be an important part of
your care team going forward.
Prepare Your Body and Mind for Surgery
Educate yourself about surgery recovery, and learn about post-operative
diet and lifestyle changes.
Begin a journal to track your eating habits, your exercise, and your moods
and feelings.
Explore exercise you enjoy. Find a movement that is not only good for your
body but that helps you release stress.
Experiment with recipes, finding ways to make favorites in healthier ways
and trying new flavors and cooking methods.
Learn about goal setting and create a map of your continuing weight loss
goals. You may want to include goals with numbers such as weights and
clothing sizes but also include goals that are not about numbers. Goals
like “fly without a seatbelt extender,” “have normal
blood pressure without medication,” and “feel good wearing
a swimsuit to the beach” focus on how weight loss improves your
health and the positive effects on your self-confidence and lifestyle.
Setting many goals for yourself lets you celebrate every step of your progress.
For more information about weight loss surgical procedures, seminars, and
support groups, call Mobile Infirmary’s Bariatric Program Coordinator at
(251) 435-3289, or email
Bariatric.Coord@InfirmaryHealth.org.
J. Wells. Wilson, MDGeneral SurgeryInfirmary Surgical Specialists | Fairhope 188 Hospital Drive
