Bariatric curriculum prepares for obesity surgery

With the newly created Bariatric Curriculum, the ZfbC, Thun Abdominal Surgery and Swiss1Chirurgie prepare their patients even better for the upcoming obesity surgery. In a seminar, all questions regarding preparation and execution, anaesthesia and the time after the surgical intervention are answered and essential procedures are explained. More information and safety are the objectives of the Bariatric Curriculum, which was developed especially for the overweight patients.

Every operation is a serious procedure that always involves certain risks. This also applies to bariatric surgery, even if it can be carried out minimally invasively in large numbers, i.e. without large surgical openings of the abdominal wall.

Many patients have a great interest in knowing how such operations are carried out and what is actually done. This is less about the specific techniques and procedures. Rather, patients are interested in how such an operation is prepared, how it proceeds and what risks are to be expected. And it is also interesting how to behave after such an intervention.

In order to be able to cover this justified interest as far as possible, the Centre for Bariatric Surgery ZfbC, the Abdominal Surgery Thun and Swiss1Chirurgie, under the essential leadership of Dr. med. Sebastien Trachsel, have developed a Bariatric Curriculum, which can provide answers to the most important but also personal questions of patients. This will make a significant contribution to more information, education and patient safety.

What the Bariatric Curriculum does

Anyone preparing for obesity surgery has many questions. The better such questions can be answered, the greater the patient’s confidence in dealing with the upcoming operation. Patients can take part in this bariatric curriculum as early as two to three weeks before the planned surgery.

The short but very informative seminar explains which clinical procedures are required and how the anaesthesia will proceed. In addition, of course, there is the general information provided by the surgeon, so that after about two hours of seminar the patients are well prepared for their individual operation. Of course, this does not exclude personal counselling and care directly at the clinic. Rather, this is part of the preparation for the operation and helps to objectively classify concerns, fears and reservations. This is also helped by the fact that directly after the bariatric curriculum there is the opportunity to ask personal questions and receive the appropriate answers.

This is especially important for patients who are undergoing surgery for the first time or who have already had less positive experiences in other operations. Knowing everything that is coming is an essential part of obesity surgery, which is a not insignificant intervention in the future shape of one’s life.

This also means that the dietary changes required before and after the operation can be discussed in detail. This way, the patients already know what their special menu will look like in the clinic. Physiotherapeutic counselling and care are also part of the obesity surgery. How do you get up after the procedure? What should be considered in the movement? How is scar protection ensured? These are also questions of general and personal interest that should and must be discussed in the run-up to the operation.

The bariatric curriculum also includes thrombosis prophylaxis, so that our patients know in advance how they can set the points themselves and thus actively participate in the success of their obesity surgery.

The strength of the bariatric curriculum, which we have developed especially for our overweight patients, lies in the totality of counselling, care and support already two to three weeks before the surgical intervention.

We see more information, more security and more self-participation in the process as an important and essential contribution in the interest of our patients, whom we also want to prepare well for the upcoming operation and life afterwards with the Bariatric Curriculum in seminar form and by answering their personal questions.