Bariatric Surgery Program
The Department of General Surgery offers to all DOD ID card holders (excluding Active Duty Service Members) a comprehensive bariatric program, which involves a multidisciplinary team of nutrition, behavior health/psychology, medicine, and surgery providers to assist you and your family members with obesity-related health problems, weight management, and lifestyle modification.
To qualify for the bariatric program, patients must meet the following criteria:
- Have a body mass index (BMI) greater than 35 or BMI greater than 30 with obesity-related co-morbidities such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, hyperlipidemia, obstructive sleep apnea, diabetes/metabolic syndrome, gout, polycystic ovarian syndrome/impaired fertility, fatty liver, gastroesophageal reflux, osteoarthritis/back/joint pain, etc.
- Patient must be Between 18 and 65 years old.
- Non-smoker.
- Have at least a 1-year DEROS from initiation of the program or 6 months minimum following surgery.
- All patients must attend the Bariatric Information Session that is scheduled once’s per month prior to being seen by a Bariatric Surgeon in clinic.
Coverage is limited to one bariatric surgery per lifetime with exceptions to include technical failures or complication. Patients who have already undergone bariatric surgery and seek revision are required to meet all the above criteria.
- Revision is often indicated for patients who have failed to achieve weight loss despite compliance with pre-operative clearance for the original surgery and has been compliant with the prescribed nutrition and exercise program following the original surgery.
- Revision patients are required to complete a minimum of 3 months of nutrition counseling before clearance for revisional surgery. If noncompliance is suspected the nutrition requirement may be extended.
- The behavioral health evaluation can be waived unless there is a concern from the bariatric surgeon that indicates the need for an evaluation.
- EXCEPTION—based on nature of the complication from the previous surgery, the patient’s revisional surgery may be expedited and criteria may be exempted.
Current procedures we offer:
Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy
Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass
Laparoscopic One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass or Mini-gastric Bypass
Laparoscopic Revisional Bariatric Surgery
Intragastric Balloon Placement /Removal
Laparoscopic Lap Band Removal
Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG) and Endoscopic Gastric Outlet Revision
The Bariatric Surgery Program does not offer weight loss medications. Please discuss this with your PCM.
We will accept referrals from the patient’s primary care provider, specialty providers and host nation providers. Please bring any medical records, imaging or other pertinent medical documentation from your off-base providers to your appointment.
For any conditions not listed, questions or possible consultations, please contact the Department of General Surgery and ask to speak with the Landstuhl Bariatric Program Coordinator.