What to Expect
Evaluation | Treatment Plan | Preoperative Education Session l After Surgery
Evaluation
If our medical team in the Surgical Weight Loss Program for Teens at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center determines that your child is a candidate for bariatric surgery, we will schedule you and your child for an evaluation visit at the Surgical Weight Loss Program for Teens at Cincinnati Children's. During this visit, you'll meet with with one of our pediatric surgeons, our medical doctor, psychologist, dietitian and nurses. This visit can last up to four hours, but it allows us to get to know you better, and learn what has brought you to this point.
At the evaluation visit, we like to get a sense of your child's overall health, as well as the effect weight has had on your child's health. We will also use some of this time to discuss the various options that are now available for weight management, including weight loss surgery, and answer your questions.
Several diagnostic tests may be needed during your evaluation visit. These could include:
- Blood work
- Glucose (sugar) tolerance test
- Consultation and study for sleep apnea
- Other tests, as needed
Once the evaluation visit and diagnostic tests are completed, a case summary is prepared. Our medical team once again reviews the case summary and a determination is made regarding whether surgical weight loss is a good option for your child. If surgery is recommended, a "letter of medical necessity" is prepared using information from the evaluation visit. The letter is then sent to your insurance company to obtain authorization for the surgery and postoperative care.
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Preoperative Treatment Plan Appointments
As your family prepares for this surgery, it is our intent to provide you and your parents with lifelong tools and strategies for long-term weight loss and weight maintenance. This is exactly what occurs during your "Treatment Plan" appointments.
You will spend approximately two hours at this monthly appointment developing and implementing a personalized diet and exercise plan. You will meet with a dietician, exercise physiologist, nurse and occasionally, a surgeon. Once the diet and exercise plan is in place, we anticipate you will begin losing weight and becoming healthier as you prepare for your surgery.
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Preoperative Education Session
Once we have authorization from your insurance company, someone from the Surgical Weight Loss Program for Teens medical team at Cincinnati Children's will contact you to schedule a date for the surgery and preoperative education session. Included in this second visit will be a consultation with a cardiologist and anesthesiologist in preparation for the surgery.
During the preoperative education session, you will be advised of out-of-pocket costs for additional items that are needed following surgery:
- Nutritional supplements, such as liquid protein, vitamins and minerals not covered by insurance
- Equipment (kitchen tools, blender) needed for post-surgery dietary preparation
These items will need to be purchased and brought with you to the preoperative education session. It is important to have all of the necessary items in order to rehearse the postoperative dietary regimen at the time of the preoperative visit.
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After Surgery
Once the day of your child's surgery arrives, you are well on your way. Adherence to the postoperative medical and dietary regimen is vitally important to your child's speedy recovery and the overall success of the surgery. We require patients and families from outside the Cincinnati area to make arrangements to stay in Cincinnati for at least two weeks following surgery so that we may monitor your child's health closely and ensure a safe recovery.
Once released from the hospital, you and your child will need to return for regular follow-up appointments with the Surgical Weight Loss Program for Teens team. Your child will also need several tests done at regular intervals to measure progress.
Our program offers a support group that meets monthly to discuss topics and share information that will assist patients in making long-term lifestyle changes.
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