Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/970884
How do physicians determine if their patients qua lif y and may benef it from a bariatric surger y referra l? According to the Nationa l Institutes of Hea lth, a person qua lifies for weight loss surgery if their body mass index (BMI) is 40 or above. Additiona lly, if a patient 's BMI is between 35 and 40 and they have an obesit y a ssociated comorbidit y, they would also qualify. Patients must also be in a stable psychological and social state a nd have previously made reasonable attempts at non-surgica l weight loss. Sleeve gastrectomy is the most com- mon ba riatric procedure, attributing for more t ha n ha lf of a l l procedures p er for me d . T he s e c ond mo s t c om- mon is the ga stric by pa ss procedure. Contrary to what many patients believe, sleeve gastrectomy is not a device – or a "sleeve" – that slips on the stomach. It is instead the remova l of a large part of the stomach, with the remaining stomach left in the shape of a banana or a sleeve. As Dr. Chlysta noted earlier, bariatric surger y is an extremely safe procedure, with risk of mor ta lit y less tha n 0.1%. A nd , i n a dd it ion t o it s ma i n goa l of patient weight loss, the procedure has a h i g h ef f ica c y, prov i n g ver y ef fec- tive at resolv ing or improv ing ma ny com mon d isea ses such a s d iabet es, hy per tension, sleep apnea , a r thritis, and hy perlipidemia. Recently, Dr. Chlysta launched Unity Health Network's Bariatric Surgery ser- vice, a new care offering for the region's largest independent medical group. His practice – located in Cuyahoga Falls – brings the benefits of his professiona l tenure to physicians and patients. As the surgeon with the longest his- tory of performing bariatric surgery in Summit County, Dr. Chlysta understands the importance of custom designing the procedure's approach to closely a lign with each individual patient's situation and needs. "One size does not f it a ll for ma ny issues. Our progra m is ver y sa fe a nd orga nized a nd we ta ke the time a nd have the understanding and patience to be flexible," says Dr. Chlysta. "There are a number of factors that come into play. For example, patients do not always meet their pre-operative weight goa l. That is why this metric is a goal and not a 'checkbox' to qualify for the procedure. In this type of situation, we must ta ke into account those items that may impact weight loss – such as exercise limitations due to physicality or medical conditions such as arthritis. By understanding these variances and the many factors contrib- uting to them, we are able to successfully suppor t our patients throughout the process, knowing they will have a better qua lity of life with the surgery." Currently, weight loss surger y is the most ef fective option for sig nif ica nt weight loss in a morbidly obese patient. However, Dr. Ch ly s t a look s t o what he hopes a re adva nces in t his rea lm of medicine. "I a m hopef ul that a more ef fective non-surgica l medica l treatment (drug) for morbid obesity will become available to patients in the future. Though there a re endoscopic t herapies for weig ht loss such a s t he ga st r ic ba l loon a nd intestina l ba rriers, these dev ices a re only tempora r y. They must be removed and are not covered by insurance. These create cha llenges to the use and success of the procedure, a nd ma ny patients' lives could be enha nced by a lternative, a nd yet undiscovered treatments." B e c a u s e o f h i s c l o s e t i e s t o h i s patients, Dr. Ch lysta f inds his role a s a ba r iatr ic su rgeon ver y rewa rd i ng , a nd delights in the new-found joys of his patients a s they once a ga in live a more positive life. " B a r i at r ic s u r ger y h a s a t remen- dous impact on so ma ny aspects of my patients' lives, a nd because of the long- term follow-up required, my sta ff a nd I get to know those we ca re for ver y well and get to share the positive experiences resulting from the procedure. We see their medication list shrink a long with their wa ist size a nd their list of active medica l problems," he says. "The patients can easily get up on the exam table…it is not a struggle anymore. Wa lkers frequently disappea r as does being out of breath from just wa lking a shor t dista nce. Swollen legs shrink, wounds hea l, shoes get tied w it hout help, legs get crossed , seat belt s get buck led w it hout a seatbelt ex tender, air fare is for one – not two. A nd clothes shopping becomes something that ca n be done at a ny store. Patients a re ver y grateful a nd that ma kes for a fulf illing experience for a ll of us." Dr. Walter Chlysta's practice is located at 1900 23rd Street, Suite 403, Cuyahoga Falls OH. For more information about his monthly free bariatric support ses- sions go to www.unityhealthnetwork.org/ specialty-services/ bariatric-surgery. To refer a patient, call (330) 926-3440. n 0 8❱❱❱❱❱ C O V E R S T O R Y