Bariatric surgery

Bariatric Surgery is an elective weight loss procedure offered to overweight and morbidly obese Veterans. This Surgery is a tool to help you lose the necessary weight to improve your overall health and obtain weight loss goals.

Is excess weight affecting your life and your health? Bariatric surgery may help you reach a healthier weight. This surgery alters your digestive system. For the surgery to be successful, you must change your diet and lifestyle. In most cases, the surgery is not reversible. So if you’re considering surgery, learn all you can about it before you decide. Bariatric surgery also has a number of potential risks and complications that you need to discuss with your surgeon.

Qualifying for surgery

Surgery is not for everyone. To qualify:

• You must have a BMI of 40 or more, or a BMI of 35 or more plus a serious obesity-related health problem, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or sleep apnea.
• You must have a sustained BMI between 30-35 with at least one co-morbidity, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or sleep apnea.
• You must be healthy enough to have surgery.
• You may be required to have a psychological evaluation.
• You must have tried to lose weight by other means, such as diet and exercise.
• You must be between the ages of 21 and 65. Veterans between the ages of 65 and 70 will be evaluated individually based upon their suitability for surgery.

Meet our Team

• Rajesh Kuruba, MD, Laparoscopic, GI and Bariatric Surgeon
• Kenneth D. Vick, MD, Deputy Chief, Surgery Service
• Alexander S. Rakhshan, Psy.D., Clinical Psychologist
• Denise Barnett, MS, RD, LDN, Facility Program Coordinator MOVE! Weight Management
• Brenda Smoot, FNP-BC, Coordinator
• Donna Davila, Administrative Assistant, Surgical Service 

Surgical procedures available

Sleeve gastrectomy

This is also called the gastric sleeve. This is a type of surgery that removes up to 80% of the stomach. The surgery turns the stomach into a narrow tube that looks like a banana. The sleeve holds much less food, and you feel full faster. The sleeve also works by gut hormones that change how full or hungry you feel.

Gastric bypass

This is also called a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. During this surgery, your surgeon separates part of the stomach to create a small pouch. The pouch is then attached to a part of your small intestine. The gastric bypass reduces the amount of food you can eat at one time as well as decreases your hunger and makes you feel full faster. It also reduces the number of calories and nutrients you can absorb from the foods you eat. The gastric bypass also works by gut hormones, that results in less hunger, faster fullness, and improved diabetes resolution.

Preop considerations

• Contraindications for surgery, i.e. current drug, alcohol, or nicotine use, multiple suicidal attempts or major psychoses, multiple abdominal surgeries, etc.
• Successful completion of the MOVE program with documentation of adherence to dietary protocol.
• Demonstration of commitment to long-term weight loss and lifestyle changes.
• Completion of a multidimensional psychological evaluation.
• Completion of required labs, imaging, and consultations as indicated

Getting started

If you are interested in learning more, please request to attend one of our informational sessions, held on the 3rd Friday of every month from 1-2 pm, for VVC education and training sessions.

Teamwork makes the dream work

Our team will follow you after surgery for 5 years. Afterwards, we are available lifelong, as needed. We are here for you and welcome the opportunity to assist you in achieving your weight loss goals. If interested in weight loss surgery, please ask your primary care provider to place a consultation to the MOVE program. After you are enrolled in the MOVE program, let the staff know you are interested in weight loss surgery, and they will get you on the right path.