Surgical Options

Our surgeon, Dr. Megan Gilmore, is fellowship trained in minimally invasive bariatric surgery and advanced laparoscopy. We offer a full line of surgical weight loss procedures including: 

• Roux-en-Y gastric bypass 
• Sleeve gastrectomy 
• Follow-up care, including band adjustments for patients that already have adjustable gastric bands

Bariatric surgery and other types of weight loss surgery are done at the hospital in Mankato. General anesthesia is used for weight loss surgery, which means your unconscious during the procedure.

Today, most types of bariatric surgery are performed laparoscopically. A laparoscope is a small, tubular instrument with a camera attached. The laparoscope is inserted through small incisions in the abdomen. The tiny camera on the tip of the laparoscope allows the surgeon to see and operate inside your abdomen without making the traditional large incisions. Laparoscopic surgery can make your recovery faster and shorter, but it's not suitable for everyone.

Surgery usually takes several hours. After surgery, you awaken in a recovery room, where medical staff monitor you for any complications. Your hospital stay may last from two to five days.

Keep in mind that bariatric surgery by itself is not a solution to being overweight. It may be helpful to think of the surgery as one piece of a puzzle, and to remember that all the pieces of the puzzle must be in place to experience successful weight loss.

Surgery is a helpful tool for losing weight when accompanied by changes in eating habits and physical activity. Bariatric surgery is a major surgery designed to lessen the severity of, or to avoid weight related health problems. It reduces the size of your stomach and/or shortens the portion of small intestine through which food travels. Before deciding to go forward with the surgery, it is important to understand what is involved and what lifestyle changes you must make. Our team is here to help you make those changes. In large part, the success of the surgery is up to you.