People approach weight loss from a wide range of perspectives and situations. Each person's needs are unique. At the Bariatric Surgery Program in Rochester, Minnesota, we meet you at the current stage of your weight-loss journey. We guide you through, and support you before, during and after your care.
You may be exploring medication and lifestyle management. Or perhaps you need some form of bariatric surgery. Mayo Clinic has the right experts, skills, technological innovations and world leading medical care to offer you the best path for the best results.
Thorough, multidisciplinary approach to meet all your needs
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Why Choose Mayo Clinic
Bariatric Surgery
Omar Ghanem, M.D., metabolic surgeon: Weight loss surgery is an excellent treatment for obesity.
Todd A. Kellogg, M.D., metabolic surgeon: Everybody is an individual. All patients have slightly different needs, and having that ability to provide different types of treatments really refines the care for the obese patient.
Dr. Ghanem: The management of obesity requires a multidisciplinary approach. There is the patient, there is the endocrinologist, there is the dietitian or nutritionist, there is the psychology part, and there is the surgeon. While there are other modes for weight loss, we know by far that bariatric surgery is one of the safest and one of the most effective for that.
Dr. Kellogg: So the multidisciplinary effort really focuses in first on the co-morbid diseases and making sure they're in check like hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or type 2 diabetes, maybe cardiac disease -- and then moves towards the surgery and making sure that it's safe for that particular individual
after their co-morbid diseases have been stabilized.
Dr. Ghanem: What we have here at Mayo Clinic that might be different from a lot of other places is that the patient is seeing the top of providers in the field at each one of these stations. What the surgeons do during bariatric procedure is give patients a tool, and the patient has to use that tool correctly and adequately for them to lose weight and to keep that weight off.
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One of our program's great strengths is that we bring specialty expertise from many disciplines to each person's care. We understand that each person's journey is different. For example:
- You may be exploring other options before considering surgery.
- You may have had other surgical procedures that have failed.
- You may be managing other health concerns related to or affected by your weight-loss needs.
Mayo Clinic doctors and experts from any needed specialties quickly collaborate with your care team on how to best meet your needs.
If you and your care team decide surgery is the best treatment option for you, be assured that our team of skilled expert bariatric surgeons will work with you to find your best treatment approach.
A full spectrum of weight management care
Our Advanced Weight Management Program is designed to deliver both routine and complex care along your weight management journey:
- Comprehensive assessment by endocrinology specialists.
- Patients can meet with an endocrinology specialist to discuss weight-loss options such as medication management, endoscopic procedures and surgery. Bariatric surgery is just one of the many tools you'll consider to improve your health.
- You and your endocrinology specialist decide what weight-loss option is best for you and your weight-loss goals.
- Surgery, when appropriate for your needs and goals.
- Mayo Clinic offers exceptional, specialized skill and expertise in all bariatric procedures, as well as in advanced care before and after surgery.
- Our high-volume practice builds deep and specialized expertise in advanced and complex procedures. This includes minimally invasive procedures such as endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, also called ESG, and transoral outlet reduction endoscopy, also called TORe, to help continue weight loss after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. It also includes a high volume of hypoabsorptive procedures, which reduce calorie absorption from fat, as well as other procedures such as duodenal switch and single anastomosis duodenal ileal bypass with sleeve, also called SADI-S.
- Care and counseling after surgery, including ongoing lifestyle management.
Pediatric expertise in weight-loss management and surgery
The Bariatric Surgery Program in Rochester also works with also work with children and adolescents through our pediatric practice. The large number of children we see gives us deep experience in treating weight management issues. We have specialty pediatric expertise in conditions such as obesity from Bardet-Biedl syndrome, also called BBS, and other rare and complex pediatric challenges.
Revisional surgery expertise
Mayo Clinic specializes in correcting issues from previous bariatric surgeries. We also provide surgeries to people with complicated medical histories who may not have qualified at other bariatric centers.
Rare skill and capacity to treat those in higher risk groups
We have extensive, successful experience treating people who need specific medical procedures but whose weight places them in an unacceptable risk category. This includes people with very high body mass index measures, also called BMI, or other identified risks who need organ transplant.
Revisional surgeries also can involve complex surgery and higher risk. Mayo Clinic surgeons have uncommon expertise and experience meeting the needs of these patients due to the number of people we treat.
Our multispecialty institution offers significant advantages, both because other Mayo Clinic practice areas may refer patients to our program and because our program also can quickly refer people to other Mayo Clinic experts.
Qualifying conditions
Conditions that qualify for bariatric surgery include but are not limited to:
- BMI of 40 or higher.
- BMI of 35 to 39.9 with a serious weight-related health condition such as type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure.
- BMI between 30 and 34.9 with type 2 diabetes under special circumstances.
Collaborative care for weight loss before surgery
Many people come to our program because they must achieve a significant weight reduction to qualify for specific surgeries that would otherwise be too risky. We regularly care for patients with upcoming spine, orthopedic, or cardiac, kidney or liver transplant surgeries who must lose a specific amount of weight before they can safely undergo those procedures.
Mayo Clinic treats your entire range of medical needs. This begins with weight loss and continues through any surgical procedures and postoperative care. This approach leads to better teamwork between your healthcare professionals and a better experience for you.
Evidence-based practice means an unbiased approach
Because our program isn't focused on any single therapy or procedure, we aren't driven to recommend any specific approach over another. Instead, your care is driven by your needs. We consider needs that we identify based on your current symptoms and history, combined with our own deep experience. We work with you to explore options, and we explain the advantages of different options to achieve the best outcomes in your weight-loss journey.
Focusing on clinical evidence allows us to solve chronic issues and address complex abdominal concerns for people who have had no success finding solutions previously. Our doctors often are asked for second or even third opinions and complex diagnoses.
Accredited program
Our bariatric surgery program is accredited by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program. MBSAQIP is the accrediting body that aims to ensure all designated members achieve advanced, safe and high-quality care for bariatric patients. Each year we work with MBSAQIP to ensure we are delivering the most effective and safe care to our patients to achieve the best possible outcomes.
Continuity of care with you and your local healthcare professional
Surgeons and others within the program regularly work with referring providers. As best fits your needs, we'll design an effective handoff approach for your home care or your primary care professional.