Weight-Loss Surgery in Corona, CA

Patients seeking surgical treatment for obesity and its related conditions have a high-quality choice for receiving care at a nationally accredited program that meets the highest standards for patient safety and quality in the great Inland Empire.

Corona Regional Medical Center’s bariatric surgery program has been accredited as a Comprehensive Center by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP). The MBSAQIP standards ensure that metabolic and bariatric patients receive multidisciplinary medical care, which improves patient outcomes and long-term success. MBSAQIP-accredited centers offer preoperative and postoperative care designed specifically for patients with obesity.

Our Services

Talk to your physician to find out if you’re a candidate for weight-loss surgery. The weight-loss surgery program at Corona Regional offers the following laparoscopic procedures:

Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

Surgeons place a staple line across the top portion of your stomach to create a very small stomach pouch. They then connect the new stomach pouch to the small intestine. This reduces the amount of food eaten and decreases absorption of the food that is consumed.

Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy

About 60 to 80 percent of the stomach is permanently removed. The part of the stomach that remains connects to your esophagus and small intestine, forming the shape of a sleeve. This procedure offers an alternative to those who are at a high risk for gastric bypass surgery.

Adjustable Gastric Band Removal

Lap band surgery (laparoscopic gastric banding) can help you lose weight by creating a small pouch in the stomach that limits how much food you can eat. If the band doesn't work as expected, or if it slips or erodes, surgery may be needed to remove it.

Reduce the Risk of Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, and Heart Disease

Being seriously overweight can lead to life-threatening medical conditions such as severe diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, acid reflux (GERD) and heart disease. Health problems can dramatically improve or disappear entirely when you lose weight. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends laparoscopic bariatric surgery as the best long-term solution for extreme obesity.

Because of these NIH guidelines, more private insurers are offering coverage for bariatric surgery. Surgery is an effective treatment for obesity but not a cure. Like any other surgical procedure, bariatric surgery comes with risks, and diet and exercise should always be attempted as a first choice for losing weight.

“We do a psychological assessment and have our patients meet with a dietitian,” says Stephen Dada, MD, Medical Director of the Weight-Loss Surgery Program at Corona Regional. “When ‘comfort foods’ are taken away – some may be off-limits after surgery – the person has to be able to handle it.”

Results may vary depending on sex, initial weight and age. In general, a physician will recommend weight-loss surgery when the risks of continued obesity are greater than the risks of surgery, such as when a patient is 100 pounds overweight or has diabetes, high blood pressure or a similar serious medical condition.

An Alarming Trend in Obesity

Nearly 40 percent of Americans can be considered obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "There's an alarming trend among the population toward obesity," Dr. Dada says. "It is a problem that a lot of people have their entire lives. They also develop serious medical conditions — such as severe diabetes — that can affect the length and quality of their lives." For many who are dangerously overweight, diet, exercise and drug therapy have not provided a lasting solution. Now, laparoscopic techniques can make surgery easier on the patient than standard, major abdominal surgery. And more private insurers now are offering coverage for bariatric surgery.

Individual results may vary. There are risks associated with any surgical procedure. Talk with your doctor about these risks to find out if bariatric surgery is right for you.