After reporting to the registration desk at the hospital, your real adventure begins. You will be taken to the appropriate area and the nurses will start your IV. It is then that you will get a dose of antibiotics in order to help prevent any infections. Lastly, you will get a dose of Heparin in the form of an injection to your abdomen. This will help lower your risk of developing blood clots.
Next you will proceed into the operating room. It is at this point that your anxiety may begin to set in. This is completely normal; anyone heading into surgery, no matter how well prepared, is bound to feel some anxiety. In the room with you will be the surgical team which will include the nurses, surgeon, surgical assistant and anesthesiologist. The surgical team understands the anxiety most patients experience as they follow through with their weight loss goals.
You will be given medication through an IV that will make you drowsy and you will be connected to machines that monitor your blood pressure, heart rate and other vital signs. The anesthesiologist will wait until you are fully asleep and then will place an endotracheal tube into your mouth and then your windpipe to make sure your airway stays open and you can continue to breathe. Between the anesthetic gas and your medications you will sleep through the surgery and experience no pain. During this time, your oxygen level will be monitored and you will be watched for any side effects of anesthesia. The surgical team is devoted to your success and health and will keep a vigilant watch on all of your vital signs during surgery.
The last step is the actual operation. The amount of time the surgery takes will depend on the type of surgery you get. In addition to completing all of the necessary steps of this type of surgery, your Dr. Stewart will perform a liver biopsy to make sure it is healthy and shows no signs of liver disease.
Once the surgery is complete, your incision will be dressed and the surgical team will move you to the recovery room to monitor you for a few hours.