Surgical Weight Management

Catawba Valley Medical Center’s Surgical Weight Management Program offers medical assistance, including bariatric surgery and support, to provide treatment options aimed at improving health and prolonging life. The program is a Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery accredited center, by the American College of Surgeons and America Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and voted one of America’s Best Hospitals for Bariatric Surgery.

Bariatric surgery can be an option for those individuals who are 18 to 69 years of age, weigh more than 100 pounds over recommended weight, have a documented Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or greater, and have exhausted all efforts to lose weight through diet and exercise.

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We’re proud to share that Blue Cross NC has recognized our facility with a Bariatric Surgery designation through the Blue Distinction® Specialty Care program. Learn more here.

Services

Our program features the following elements:

• Comprehensive care coordination by an RN both before and after surgery
• Operative education, support and follow-up for the patients and family
• FREE Medically Supervised Diet required by some insurances to complete before surgery
• Nutrition counseling and education by a clinical dietitian prior to and after surgery
• Monthly support group meetings and an online support group
• Lifetime follow-up care
• Commitment to the long-term management, support and care of our patients

Surgery

The Surgical Weight Management Program offers two different surgical procedures – Gastric Bypass and Sleeve Gastrectomy. These surgeries decrease the size of the stomach into a small pouch which can only hold a limited amount of food. This pouch becomes full quickly and empties out slowly. It provides a feeling of fullness that lasts longer but with a smaller intake of food. Decreasing the size of the stomach helps the person have more control over what type of food and how much they eat.

Read Surgical Weight Loss Testimonials

Program Acceptance

Weight loss surgery is major surgery and is viewed first and foremost as a method for alleviating debilitating, chronic disease. Because of this, candidates for surgical weight management are required to complete a series of protocols for acceptance into the program, including the following:

• Completion of a detailed questionnaire about weight issues and medical history
• Mandatory participation in an educational seminar about the program and its surgical options
• Referral letter from your primary care physician
• A comprehensive physical exam from your primary care physician, which includes thyroid panel testing
• A psychological evaluation from a board-certified psychiatrist or psychologist
• Compilation of medical history from the past three years, including weight documentation

Contact the Surgical Weight Management Program at 828.326.2082 for further information.