Bariatric Surgery

Weight loss or bariatric surgery is never the easy way out.  For many, diets and lifestyle changes have not produced the necessary or desired results. Bariatric surgery has evolved to be one of the most safest and effective treatments for helping people live a happier and healthier life.

Bariatric (Weight Loss) Surgery

Sebastian River Medical Center offers a comprehensive, surgical approach to the management of morbid obesity.  Bariatric, or weight loss surgery, is a safe and effective treatment for obesity. Our program, the only accredited program in Indian River County, is designed to address long-term weight loss goals and the health conditions associated with obesity such as high blood pressure, type II diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, fatty liver disease which can lead to cirrhosis, infertility, and joint pain

Our highly skilled and experienced team which includes surgeons, a certified bariatric nurse, specialty trained nurses, bariatric coordinator and nutritionist will help you achieve your weight loss goals and help you live a healthy lifestyle. 

Seminar Registration

For more information, register for a seminar or support group, call (888) 671-7762.

Comprehensive Accredited Program

Sebastian River Medical Center is the only hospital in Indian River County to be accredited as a Comprehensive Center by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP®), which is a joint program between the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).

Blue Distinction® Centers+ for Bariatric Surgery

Sebastian River Medical Center is proud to be recognized by Florida Blue, an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association with a Blue Distinction® Centers+ for Bariatric Surgery designation, as part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program. Blue Distinction Centers are nationally designated healthcare facilities that show a commitment to delivering high quality patient safety and better health outcomes, based on objective measures that were developed with input from the medical community and leading accreditation and quality organizations. 

Designated United Healthcare’s Optum Bariatric Center of Excellence

The Clinical Sciences Institute of Optum, the health services platform of UnitedHealth Group, has designated Sebastian River Medical Center’s bariatric program an Optum Bariatric Center of Excellence. Programs designated as an Optum Bariatric Center of Excellence perform more successful surgeries compared to other facilities in the area and have the outcome and quality data demonstrating a clinically superior program. 

Benefits of Weight Loss Surgery

Our comprehensive approach to weight loss can help you achieve your weight loss goals and help you live a healthier life. Health conditions that may resolve or improve with weight loss surgery include:

• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Sleep apnea
• Joint pain
• Infertility
• Fatty liver

Surgical Options

Sebastian River Medical Center offers several options to help you address weight loss.  You will meet with your physician to discuss the best approach to meet your weight loss and health goals.  Most surgeries are performed laparoscopically, and through utilization of the da Vinci surgical system.  These techniques are less invasive than traditional conventional surgery and are performed through a few small incisions.  Benefits may include fewer complications, less pain, less hospital recovery time and overall reduced recovery time.

• Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass
  A small pouch in the top part of the stomach is created. This step restricts the amount of food the patient can consume. This pouch is then connected to a segment of the small intestine, meaning the rest of the stomach and a portion of the small bowel is bypassed. This bypass prevents the absorption of calories, resulting in significant weight loss.
• Laparoscopic Gastric Sleeve
  A large portion of the stomach following the major curve is removed. The open edges are then attached together (often with surgical staples) to form a sleeve or tube with a banana shape. The procedure permanently reduces the size of the stomach.
• Biliopancreative Diversion with Duodenal Switch (BPD/DS)
  A smaller, tubular stomach pouch is created by removing a portion of the stomach, very similar to the sleeve gastrectomy. Next, a large portion of the small intestine is bypassed.
• Single Anastomosis Duodenal Ileostomy (SADI) Duodenal Switch or Loop DS
  This surgical weight loss procedure combines both the restrictive and malabsorptive surgical component.  A gastric sleeve is created by re-routing the intestines, reducing calorie absorption by limiting the amount of time food mixes with digestive juices and empties into the intestine.
• Gastric Bypass Revision
  There are proving success rates with bariatric surgery.  But patients may seek revisional surgery if they are not achieving their desired weight loss and other medical reasons. 
• Conversion Surgery
  Conversion surgery will allow for the remove of the gastric band so the patient can explore other surgical weight loss options.

Am I a Candidate for Weight Loss (Bariatric) Surgery?

Qualifications for weight loss surgery include:

• Your BMI is 40 or higher.
• Your BMI is 35 or higher and you also suffer from one or more health problems such as type II diabetes or hypertension.
• Your BMI is between 30 and 35 and you also have significant weight induced comorbidities.
• You have been overweight for more than 5 years.
• Your serious attempts to lose weight have had only short-term success.
• You do not have any other disease that may have caused your obesity.
• You are prepared to make substantial changes in your eating habits and lifestyle.
• You do not drink alcohol in excess.

Check your body mass index (BMI)

Weight loss and health benefits vary from patient-to-patient. Consult with your physician about the benefits and risks of weight loss surgery.

How Do I Become a Patient?

STEP 1: Attend a Seminar

It is necessary to attend one of our free informational seminars before your first appointment with any of the Sebastian River Medical Center Surgical Weight Loss team.

• View the online seminar here.

STEP 2: Check your Insurance

Check to make sure that surgery and the treatment for obesity, and weight-loss, are covered benefits in your plan. It is very important that they are not excluded in your specific policy. Criteria for coverage will vary from insurance company to insurance company. Secondly, you may need to provide your insurance company with certain information and codes to determine if the procedure is covered.

• If you have insurance, please make sure to bring your insurance information with you to the seminar. At the seminar, you will be asked to fill out insurance information so our insurance coordinator can call your insurance company and verify if you have bariatric benefits and, if so, what those benefits are. This process can take anywhere from 1-2 weeks. Our insurance coordinator will then call you and discuss those benefits with you.
• If you do not have insurance or your current plan does not cover bariatric surgery, our insurance coordinator will be happy to discuss the self-pay options that may be available for you. We offer very completive self-pay packages and encourage you to explore this option further if insurance coverage is not an option for you.
• ​The total cost to the patient for The Laparoscopic Sleeve can be as low as $9,900.00. The total cost to the patient for The Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass can be as low as $12,000.00. The fees for each of the options include the surgeon’s fee, anesthesia, psychology consult, nutrition consult, and the hospital fee. If there are unexpected complications or additional services or hospital stays required the patients will be billed accordingly and in addition to the above costs.
   

STEP 3: Schedule a Consultation

After attending a bariatric seminar and deciding that this is something you would like to pursue, please call our office and schedule a consultation with Dr. Domkowski or Dr. Radecke. During your consultation, the doctor will have an opportunity to go through your weight history with you, decide which surgery is best for you and personally go through your desires and expectations regarding the weight loss surgery.  Call our office for information at 772.581.8003.
 

STEP 4: Make Your Appointment with a Psychologist, Nutritionist and Bariatric Coordinator

For the health and safety of our patients, we follow the National Institute of Health (NIH) guidelines for Bariatric Surgery. These guidelines require a Psychological Evaluation and a Nutrition Assessment before Laparoscopic Sleeve or Lap Gastric Bypass. You will also need to meet with our Bariatric Coordinator before your surgery. Call our office for information at 772.581.8003.

Morbid obesity is diagnosed by determining Body Mass Index (BMI), the ratio of an individual’s height to his or her weight. Normal BMI ranges from 20-25. An individual is considered morbidly obese if he or she is 100 pounds over his/her ideal body weight, has a BMI of 40 or more, or 30 or more and experiencing obesity-related health conditions, such as high blood pressure or diabetes.

With obesity at epidemic levels – including 57 percent of Floridians who are overweight or obese – weight loss is the leading cause of preventable death after lung cancer in the U.S. 

Our surgeons offer the Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass and Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy. These are both excellent operations for addressing both morbid obesity disease and metabolic disease. Both Dr. Domkowski and Dr. Radecke also specialize in revisional bariatric surgery. If you had a prior gastric bypass or sleeve surgery that you may want to be revised or converted to another type of bariatric surgery we are your center. In addition, if you have a Lap-Band and you would like it removed, our surgeons can do that and give you a gastric bypass or sleeve if you are interested and eligible. 

We recommend that you set-up an appointment with one of our doctors for a consultation.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

Body mass index (BMI) is a mathematical measurement of a person’s weight in relation to their height. It is used to determine if a person is underweight, at a healthy weight, overweight or obese. Determining your BMI is an effective way to find out if your weight puts you at risk for serious health issues, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and sleep apnea.

Calculate your BMI by using the calculator below to see your Body Mass Index number. Then reference the BMI Table to determine your category. If your BMI is over 40 (and, in some cases, over 35), you may be an eligible candidate for surgical weight loss at The Bridges Center for Surgical Weight Management.
 

Please Fill Out The Information Below

View A BMI Chart

Did You Know...

• Many insurance health plans cover bariatric surgery.  It’s important to check with your individual plan for benefits and coverage. Attend one of our seminars and we can help you to make the right decision for you and your health.
• Those who have morbid obese disease are at greater risk for other diseases including type II diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), fatty liver disease, osteoarthritis, heart disease, and cancer.
• An individual is considered morbidly obese if he or she is 100 pounds over his/her ideal body weight, has a BMI of 40 or more, or 35 or more and experiencing obesity-related health conditions, such as high blood pressure or diabetes.
• If you are 50 to 100 percent over your ideal body weight, diet and exercise have only a five percent success rate for long term weight loss. Surgical Weight Loss surgery may be the answer you have been looking for.

Seminar Registration

For more information, register for a seminar or support group, call (888) 671-7762.