Bariatric Surgery
Brittany

When it comes to teens, Texas Children’s is working to make this innovative procedure an option for a special group of patients.

Nothing Brittany tried helped her lose weight. Diets and exercise made no difference as she crossed the 400-pound mark.

“It was very hard to see other people in the same weight-loss program I was in lose weight, while I continued to remain the same,” says 16-year-old Brittany.

Conditions and criteria
In addition to her weight, Brittany faced several health problems (called “co-morbidities”) brought on by her obesity. She had high blood pressure and developed insulin resistance, putting her on a path that would eventually lead to diabetes.

Brittany also experienced sleep apnea, a condition that made her stop breathing and wake up in the middle of the night gasping for air. “I couldn’t sleep lying flat down. I had to prop myself up with pillows, or I wouldn’t be able to breathe at all,”
she recalls.

These or similar co-morbidities are part of the criteria that an adolescent must meet before being considered for bariatric surgery at Texas Children’s. The teen also must have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or more, reached maturity, and failed at previous weight-loss programs.

Knowing that surgery was her only option and that her health problems were getting worse, Brittany had the procedure at Texas Children’s Hospital in May 2004. She weighed 404 pounds.

Caring for the long-term
The Adolescent Bariatric Surgery Program, is one of the few in the U.S. that is dedicated strictly to adolescents. It is taking the lead in developing safe and effective surgical programs for morbidly obese teenagers. A board of medical experts reviews each individual’s case before deciding whether to perform the Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass, a laparoscopic technique known for its reliable results and effectiveness in achieving long-lasting weight loss.

“The surgery is effective, but patients must understand that it is just the first step,” states Dr. Mary Brandt, Surgical Director of  Adolescent Bariatric Surgery and professor and vice chair of Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine. “They must form new eating and exercise habits, and develop a different relationship toward food.”

Led by Brandt, the bariatric surgery program is comprehensive, with support before and after surgery coordinated by Trish Walters-Salas, a nurse case manager, and Susanne Trout, a registered dietitian. Many other medical professionals are important in addressing the unique emotional and physical needs of this special group of patients. This comprehensive approach supports patients during the many changes they face after the surgery, with follow-up that continues as long as 10 years after the procedure.

In the two years since her surgery, Brittany has formed a close bond with the members of the bariatric team. She has lost more than half of the pre-surgery weight, and no longer has any obesity-related conditions. And she feels like a totally different person: “I can walk up a flight of stairs now without getting winded. I have more self-esteem, and I love what I look like.”