Whether you’re undergoing a procedure for weight loss, enlarged tonsils or something cosmetic, let’s face facts; it’s still surgery. And that means that there are a host of factors to consider, such as cost, health complications, and transportation needs, just to name a few. But for those considering weight loss surgery, one troublesome element – the long stay in the hospital – may be a thing of the past.

According to a study published in the Journal of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons (JSLS), patients may qualify for a revolutionary, quick AND effective weight loss procedure, performed on an outpatient basis. Surgeons and their teams are now offering minimally invasive adjustable gastric banding and gastric bypass surgeries, which are completed in less than two hours.

A Life-Saving Alternative for Patients
Healthcare professionals believe that this fast turnaround could not have come at a better time. Recent estimates show that the ever-growing obesity epidemic has skyrocketed. About 205,000 individuals underwent  bariatric surgery in 2005, compared to 1992’s 16,200 procedures.

Typically, these procedures – most often, either laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) or laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) – were performed in a hospital setting. But in an effort to drive more patients to having surgery, researchers sought out alternatives, especially that of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). Over the course of a six-year study (2002-2008), the researchers examined these facilities’ safety and effectiveness for these bariatric procedures. They performed a total of 248 weight loss surgical procedures (210 LAGB and 38 LRYGB procedures).

The findings showed that these facilities were as effective and safe as hospital settings. Those patients undergoing LRYGB procedures had an average body mass index (BMI) score of 44.7, while the average for those undergoing LAGB procedures was 43.79. However, 12 months after the procedures these BMI scores dropped an average of 69.62% and 32.58%, respectively. Meanwhile, the typical amount of time for the procedures was 112.80 minutes (for LRYGB surgery) and 72.10 minutes (for LAGB surgery).

“This marks a turning point in the battle against obesity, by shifting life-changing weight-loss surgery to the outpatient arena with minimally invasive surgery,” says lead author, Kent Sasse, M.D., M.P.H., FACS. “This study further validates the hypothesis that an overweight person can safely undergo weight-loss surgery in about two hours, at an outpatient surgical facility, return home later the same day, take very little time off, and lose a large amount of weight.”