Weight-loss Surgery at GRMC

Surgeons have been performing weight-loss surgeries at Grinnell Regional Medical Center for more than 30 years. Weight-loss surgery provides an option for individuals who need to lose weight, yet it requires sacrifices and lifestyle changes associated with medical weight-loss management. The surgical technology and procedures have changed significantly; robotically assisted minimally invasive surgery is now an option available at GRMC.

Surgeons at GRMC now perform selected bariatric/weight-loss surgeries with the da Vinci Xi® robotic surgical unit. The surgeon determines which surgical technique will give the patient the best results. The precision of the robots and the experience of the surgeons give patients a shorter recovery time, less scarring, and quicker return to daily activities.

“I came out of the surgery with six little stitched areas from the surgery, rather than a long incision from my chest down to my abdomen,” said Lynne Henry of Pella, who underwent weight-loss surgery at GRMC in March of 2014.

 The Grinnell Regional Bariatrics Program has a six-month evaluation and preparation plan before an individual has weight-loss surgery.

“Dr. Coster shared with me that patients have greater success with the gastric sleeve when they have completed regimented training about how to eat and how to approach food. The surgery resets the person’s stomach size and forces the patient to eat food differently—smaller bites, less volume, and better food choices,” said Henry."The training was outstanding. It provided the reasons why a person must approach food differently. Elaine Hammes, the dietician, was wonderful. Success is so dependent on the patient sticking to the guidelines."

Elaine Hammes, MS, RDN, LD, GRMC dietician, likens weight-loss surgery to the remodeling of a house.

"I compare this weight-loss journey to remodeling a house; you can think of your body as the house for your soul, your spirit or whatever it is that you believe in.  The surgery is a very key tool to use in remodeling the house, the patient knows what they want their “remodeled house” to look and feel like, and we give the instructions and the encouragement and the redirection, as needed, to help them in their remodel," said Hammes. "What the successful patient remembers is that, just as in an any remodeling project when it is done, you are never really finished, there is always the continuous maintenance work that must be done to be truly successful."

Henry's commitment to stick to the post-operation guidelines made her a textbook success story. 

Read more about life after weight-loss surgery at http://bit.ly/1QbtS5t.

For more information about weight-loss surgery at GRMC, call Surgical Associates at 641-236-4323 or Grinnell Regional Bariatrics Center of Excellence at 641-236-2069.

Recently, GRMC bariatrics became larger than life, literally; a billboard advertising weight-loss surgery available at GRMC was placed on the south side of I-80 in early August 2015. The billboard faces east-bound traffic, just before exit 164 near Newton. The billboard's image can be viewed above.