Bariatric Surgery
Bariatric surgery is a medical treatment designed to help people with obesity lose weight and improve their health when diet and exercise alone have not been successful.
How does the surgery work?
- Helping you feel full sooner
- Reducing how much food you can eat
- Improving how your body processes food
Bariatric surgery is not a cosmetic procedure — it is a tool to support long-term weight loss and better health, used alongside healthy lifestyle changes.
Why is Bariatric Surgery done?
Excess weight can increase the risk of serious health problems, including:
- Type 2 diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Sleep apnea
- Joint pain
- Acid reflux
Bariatric surgery can help reduce or improve many of these conditions while supporting sustainable weight loss.
Common Types of Bariatric Surgery
• Helps you feel full with smaller meals
• Removes 60-70% of the stomach
• The remaining stomach is shaped like a thin “banana”
• Removes the hunger hormone (ghrelin)
• Helps with weight loss and improves metabolism
• No stomach nor intestine removed
• Better improvement/ cure of Diabetes
As a senior member of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, Dr Anthony Gonzalez will recommend the best option based on your health, goals, and medical history.
Expert Bariatric Care. Life-Changing Results.
How Bariatric Surgery is Performed
All bariatric procedures today are done using minimally invasive techniques, robotic surgery. These approaches use small incisions and advanced tools, which often lead to:
- Less pain
- Faster recovery
- Shorter hospital stays
Dr Anthony Gonzalez is the medical director of the Bariatric Surgery Program at South Miami Hospital Baptist Health. This program has been certified as a Center of Excellence since 2005. Today it is a comprehensive Bariatric Program certified by the American College of Surgeons Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program for the care of adolescent and adult patients who wish to have weight loss surgery.
How much weight can I expect to lose?
Weight loss varies by individual and procedure. Most patients lose a significant amount of excess weight during the first 12-18 months after surgery when combined with healthy eating habits and regular physical activity.
How long does Bariatric surgery take?
Sleeve gastrectomy takes 30-40 minutes. Gastric bypass takes 1 hour (60 minutes). Revision surgical time varies depending on what needs to be done. Please ask Dr. Gonzalez when you meet with him in the office.
Will I have to follow a specific diet after surgery?
Yes. You will participate in a 4 hour educational class before surgery. We will provide for you an educational manual for you to follow before and after surgery. That class will teach you about diet, vitamins, exercise and everything you need to know about weight loss surgery.
Will I need to take vitamins after surgery?
Yes. All patients will need to take some vitamins after surgery. The amount and type of vitamins depends on the procedure performed.
