Is my weight a factor when determining if I’m ready for surgery?
Dr. Scott Wilcher discusses whether weight is a factor in determining if you’re ready for surgery. Click play to watch the video or read the transcript.
Is my weight a factor when determining if I’m ready for surgery?
Obesity can play a big part in whether someone is ready for surgery or not. There are some surgeries that we really want to delay until you're able to lose weight. Surgeries such as incisional hernia repairs, hiatal hernia repairs, really you want to get your weight down to a BMI less than 40 and for hiatal hernia repairs, a BMI less than 35. In some situations, we will actually send people to medical weight loss programs or even bariatric surgery in order to help them get the weight down
Your weight plays a big part in whether you’re ready to have surgery, Premier Physician Network (PPN) physicians say.
Some surgeries are best to hold off on until you’re able to lose weight.
With an incisional hernia repair, for example, the surgery is best done when you’ve lost enough weight that your body mass index (BMI) is less than 40.
And your doctor might say you’re not ready for a hiatal hernia repair surgery unless your BMI is less than 35.
Talk to your doctor for more information about how your weight can affect you having surgery.
