Sleeve Gastrectomy for Those Over 65

We've noticed some good news here at University Bariatrics, and we would like to share it. Insurance companies have started to cover sleeve gastrectomy procedures for patients 65 and over. This news helps a great many weight loss patients in that age range out of what could sometimes be an unfortunate dilemma.

The fact of the matter is that a sleeve gastrectomy is rapidly emerging as the best treatment option for most patients faced with severe obesity whose weight issues have proven to be resistant to ordinary diet and exercise regimens. It appears to be a highly viable middle ground. A gastric bypass is highly effective, but also fairly aggressive and not without some possible significant side effects; while our opinion is that the still popular banding operations, such as the Lap Band, are simply not as effective as they really should be. A gastric sleeve, on the other hand, is less radical than a bypass; it leaves the digestive system largely in tact, while still being reliable in terms of long term outcomes.

Especially for older patients, who might well want to avoid the possibility of revision procedures after an initial operation fails to produce results or results in complications, the sleeve really does appear to be the best choice. The fact that insurance companies now agree means that our patients who opt for bariatric surgery in Thousand Oaks can easily take advantage of what we definitely believe is very often the best option available.