Surgical & Non-Surgical Weight Loss

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Learn more about Merit Health River Oaks' surgical and non-surgical weight loss options, below. If you think bariatric surgery or non-surgical weight loss might be right for you, request a consultation with the team in Flowood.

Bariatric surgeries can often be performed laparoscopically. When a laparoscopic procedure is performed, several small incisions are made in the abdominal wall instead of one, large incision as with traditional surgery.

The surgeon then inserts a thin telescope into the abdomen through one of the incisions. The telescope’s view is projected onto a video monitor, allowing the surgeon to perform the procedure using narrow instruments inserted through the other incisions.

There are many advantages to the laparoscopic approach. Because the procedure is less invasive, studies show that patients can experience less pain after surgery, have a shorter hospital stay and recover faster. Other benefits include less risk of complications such as infection and hernia.

Not all patients are candidates for laparoscopic surgery; patients must be evaluated individually to see if this is an option for them. If it is not, the procedure may still be possible with the traditional "open" approach.

Sleeve Gastrectomy

This procedure involves removing approximately 85% of the stomach's volume, leaving a slender stomach "sleeve." This new stomach has a total capacity of just three to five ounces, which means patients feel full or satisfied after eating only a small amount of food. This surgery also causes changes in hormones that work to further promote a feeling of fullness. This procedure permanently reduces the size of the stomach, limiting the amount of food you can eat and helping you to feel full faster, and longer.

Gastric Bypass

This procedure involves stapling an upper portion of the stomach to create a smaller stomach pouch, making you feel full sooner and satisfied longer. To further reduced caloric intake, the surgeon then connects the pouch to a section of the lower intestine, bypassing the majority of the small intestine where calories and nutrients are absorbed. This surgery causes changes in hormones that also work to promote a feeling of fullness.

Find out if weight loss surgery is right for you.

Take a Bariatric Assessment

Revision and Conversion Surgery

For a variety of reasons, patients may experience the need for revisions, corrections or conversions of their original operation. We can evaluate your situation and recommend appropriate treatment.

• Gastric Bypass Revision
  If you had gastric bypass surgery and initially experienced weight loss, but have now begun to regain weight, there are other options for you to consider. The staff will review gastric bypass revision surgery with you.


• Conversion Surgery
  If your laparoscopic adjustable gastric band needs to be removed, weight regain is highly likely. The laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass may be a viable surgical option for patients who experienced problems with a gastric band or who did not reach their weight loss goals.

Non-Surgical Weight Loss Procedures

Medically Managed Weight Loss

The medically managed weight loss program consists of three elements necessary for successful weight loss:

• Medical oversight, including blood testing and health screenings to assess the patient's current medical condition.
• Nutritional guidance provided by a registered dietitian to help the patient understand how to reduce weight and improve health.
• Behavior counseling, provided by a registered professional who manages each patient's emotional needs, and helps them through the difficult times.

What are the Risks Associated with Weight Loss Surgery?

All surgeries carry some risk. Your bariatric surgeon will review the potential complications and risks with you well before your surgery. Pneumonia, blood clots, infection, bleeding, leaking at staple lines, ulcers, hernia and gallstones may occur, but are infrequent. Generally, the risks associated with weight loss surgery are significantly less than the risk of remaining morbidly obese.

If you think bariatric surgery might be right for you, call (601) 936-1170 for more information.

Patient results may vary. Consult your physician about the benefits and risks of any surgical procedure or treatment.

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