Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/970884
minimally invasively with 99% of his primary bariatric cases. "Modern ba riatric surger y is ver y safe with lower risks than gallbladder remova l or hip replacement surgery," says Dr. Chlysta. "And due to enhanced recovery protocols, most patients are drinking liquids on the evening of their procedure date and going home the next afternoon with no narcotics. Patients are also back to work in 1-4 weeks after surgery, depending on the physicality of their occupation." Dr. Chlysta notes that loca lly, the nu mber of ba r iat r ic su rger y ca ses per for med a n nua l ly appea r s t o be slowly increasing. This is in line with nationa l trends. In 2016, there were an estimated 216,000 procedures per- formed in the US, according to American Societ y for Metabolic a nd Ba riatric Surger y Numbers Taskforce. That is up from 196,000 procedures in 2015. Though gaining in popularity, bariat- ric surgery has its obstacles. A common one is the lack of coverage of bariatric procedures by insura nce providers. A lt hough covered by Medica re a nd Medicaid, private insurance coverage varies for weight loss surgery. Sometimes the obstacle to surgery is the patient themselves. "It is not uncom- mon that my patients have considered bariatric surgery for years prior to tak- ing any sort of concrete step toward the procedure," says Dr. Chlysta. "There are many reasons for this reluctance…fear of costs, complications, pain, time off work, and the unknown. As patients research and begin to understand the high level of safety associated with modern bariatric surgery, and after numerous unsuccessful attempts at dieting, patients, at some point, decide they have had enough and are ready to seriously consider weight loss surgery as an option." Interacting w it h ot hers who have undergone bariatric surgery is also key to increasing a patient's comfort level with the procedure. As a result, Dr. Chlysta offers free information and support ses- sions for those considering, and those who have undergone, weight-loss surgery. " There is a sig n i f ica nt ly positive emot ion a l a s p e c t a s s o c i a t e d w it h bariatric surgery," begins Dr. Chlysta. "Occasionally there is 'mourning' for loss of food. However, most of the time there is enthusiastic excitement and anticipation for the future." Dr. Chlysta notes the importance of careful and structured preparation to familiarize patients with the process and set expectations. He points out that bariatric surgery is not something that should be rushed into by the patient. "My team and I work hard to ensure our patients are well educated and prepared for surgery and their post-surgery lives. They know what is going to happen before, during a nd a f ter surger y. They know what type of diet they will be following and for how long after the surgery. They know what their average expected weight loss will be at one year," he explains. "We carefully review and work on these details until we and the patient are comfortable and satisf ied before moving forward. My patients a ll report they were ver y well prepared, and after surgery, many frequently relay that they wish they had not waited so long to have had weight loss surgery; it is something they wish they had done years earlier." Dr. Chlysta and his staff work hard to ensure their patients are well educated and prepared for surgery and their post-surgery lives via free information sessions and support groups. M D N E W S . C O M /// M D N E W S C L E V E L A N D /A K R O N / C A N T O N ■ M A R C H /A P R I L 2 018 0 7