Your Journey to Better Health begins with the Texas Children's Bariatric Surgery Program
The Bariatric Surgery Program at Texas Children’s promotes the lifelong health and wellness of adolescents through effective, lasting weight loss. We help adolescents on their journey to reduce the effects of obesity-related conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and decreased life expectancy, among others. These life-threatening conditions are prevalent in the more than 20% of Americans in this age group who are overweight.
Our early intervention makes a lasting impact: in the more than 250 weight-loss surgeries we have performed in our The Woodlands location since 2019, our bariatric surgery patients have lost more than 50% of their excess weight and improving their overall health.
Bariatric surgeries are routinely performed at our surgery suites at Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands unless medically necessary to be performed at Texas Children’s Hospital in the Medical Center.
Our Prominence in Bariatric Surgery
Our program has earned prestigious recognition for our commitment to providing exceptional care and ensuring the highest standards of comprehensive bariatric surgery – we are the only Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) Accredited Adolescent Facility in Texas, and only 1 of 8 in the nation. We rank as the second largest accredited adolescent facility.
Our Approach to the Bariatric Surgery Journey
Bariatric surgery is not a quick fix – it requires commitment from the patients and their families to make the lifestyle changes necessary to meet the challenges of preparing for bariatric surgery and maintaining the weight loss afterwards.
We approach the bariatric surgery journey as a partnership that gives each adolescent a relationship with our multidisciplinary team of physicians, surgeons and medical professionals, such as physician assistants, dieticians, social workers, psychologists, pulmonologists and therapists.
We coordinate with other needed specialists, such as those in cardiology, gynecology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, hematology, otolaryngology, plastic surgery and nephrology (kidney).
The planning and education period before surgery
For a minimum of six months of this partnership, our team coordinates care and provides extensive education to find the best option for sustained weight loss, which include:
Medical and health assessment: we evaluate the patient’s medical history and current state of health using a variety of exams and diagnostic tests.
Nutrition counseling: the patient has regular visits with dieticians and physician assistants to monitor food logs, evaluate eating habits and follow-up on lab results throughout the process.
Education and preparation: Patients and caregivers learn more about preparing for surgery during virtual monthly Patient and Caregiver Resource/Support Groups. Attendance is mandatory.
Psychological support: each patient will be evaluated by a psychologist; other team members include social workers and therapists.
When the patient is ready for surgery
The patient and their health care team will work together to decide if the patient is ready to proceed with surgery. For most patients, this occurs approximately 8-9 months from the start of the planning and education period.
After Surgery
We follow our patients postoperatively for 4 years. During this time, they have access to our multidisciplinary staff, including a dietician and a therapist.
We also assist in transitioning to adult bariatric surgeons as needed.
Will I experience any complications?
Any surgery has the risk of possible complications. Click here to learn more.
There are possible complications with any major surgery, however complications during weight loss surgery are rare. Post-op complications can include difficulty swallowing, infection, reflux, bleeding, a gastric leak, pneumonia, vitamin and mineral deficiency and dumping syndrome. Your surgeon will go over all complications with you and your family at your clinic visits. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to ask.
Who Qualifies for Bariatric Surgery?
To be considered for bariatric surgery, each patient must meet the following minimum criteria:
Females must be 14 years of age or older and males must be 15 years of age or older. All patients must have reached physical and psychological maturity
Meet the BMI requirement:
Medicaid: greater than or equal to 40
Private insurance: greater than or equal to 35 with at least 1 comorbidity [obstructive sleep apnea (OSA,), hypertension, diabetes mellitus, fatty liver, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), dyslipidemia]
Must not have either of the exclusionary diagnoses of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder
Understand the lifelong commitment required after the surgery
Commit to completing a minimum 6-month pre-surgery program
Types of Bariatric Surgeries We Perform
The Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy and the Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass are equally effective. Both are laparoscopic procedures, which means they are minimally invasive and use small incisions.
