Genesis Center For Bariatric Surgery

Offering laparoscopic gastric bypass and LAP-BAND® procedures

The Genesis Center for Bariatric Surgery is the region's only  Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence, as recognized by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). It also is the only regional program to receive a Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Care designation from Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield.

The Center's patients receive surgical treatment for the growing problem of morbid obesity. What sets the Genesis program apart is the continuum of care provided to patients pre and post surgery through a multi-disciplinary clinic.

Patients, who are physician or self-referred, attend an introductory education class followed by consultations with the surgeon, nursing staff, dietician, exercise specialist and pharmacist. Psychological evaluations and consultations are done through Psychology Associates, an affiliate of Genesis Health System. Only patients who meet strict pre-surgery criteria are scheduled for surgery.

Surgical Weight Loss Options

The Center offers patients two surgical weight loss options and follows the National Institutes of Health guidelines, which are the same for both procedures.

Surgeons perform the Roux-en Y gastric bypass procedure using the laparoscopic and open methods. Roux-en-Y is the most widely performed surgical procedure for weight loss. The procedure reroutes a variable length of the small intestine to connect to a newly created stomach pouch, bypassing a portion of the digestive system. The procedure promotes weight loss not only by limiting food intake, but also by decreasing the absorption ability of the digestive system.

Genesis also offers LAP-BAND®, an alternative to gastric bypass. LAP-BAND® is one of the least invasive approaches to obesity because neither the stomach nor the intestine is cut. The LAP-BAND® System involves the laparoscopic placement of a hollow silastic band around the upper part of the stomach. This band divides the stomach into a small upper pouch above the band and a larger pouch below the band. This small gastric pouch limits the amount of food that a patient can eat at any one time. Because the band is adjustable and does not permanently alter the anatomy, it provides an option to the Roux-en-Y procedure. 

Program Goals

The goal of bariatric surgery is to induce and maintain permanent loss of a least half of the preoperative excess body weight, improving health and reducing weight-related health risks. Patients remain in the bariatric surgery program to receive additional consultations for at least one year post-surgery.

For more information, please contact the Genesis Center For Bariatric Surgery at 563-421-8361.