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Bariatric Surgery
Catawba Valley Medical Center's Surgical Weight Management Program, a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence as recognized by North Carolina Blue Cross Blue Shield, is part of our comprehensive approach to weight management. Our Surgical Weight Management Program offers medical assistance, including bariatric surgery and support, to provide treatment options aimed at improving health and prolonging life.

Bariatric surgery can be an option for those individuals who are over 18, weigh more than 100 pounds over recommended weight, have a documented Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or greater, and have exhausted all efforts to lose weight through diet and exercise.

Our program features the following elements:

  • Comprehensive care coordination by an RN both before and after surgery
  • Operative education, support and follow-up for the patients and family
  • Nutrition counseling and education by a clinical dietitian prior to and after surgery
  • Monthly support group meetings
  • Lifetime follow-up care
  • Commitment to the long-term management, support and care of our patients

Weight loss surgery is major surgery and is viewed first and foremost as a method for alleviating debilitating, chronic disease. Because of this, candidates for surgical weight management are required to complete a series of protocols for acceptance into the program, including the following:

  • Completion of a detailed questionnaire about weight issues and history
  • Mandatory participation in an educational seminar about the program and its surgical options
  • A comprehensive physical exam, which includes thyroid panel testing and a psychiatric evaluation
  • Compilation of a personal medical history from the past five years, including weight documentation

Our leading-edge bariatric surgery team practices both the open method and the innovative Roux-En-Y laparoscopic gastric bypass procedure. According to the American Society for Bariatric Surgery and the National Institutes of Health, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is the current gold standard procedure for weight loss surgery and is one of the most frequently performed weight loss procedures in the United States. In this procedure, stapling creates a small (15 to 20cc) stomach pouch. The outlet from this newly-formed pouch empties directly into the lower portion of the jejunum, thus bypassing calorie absorption.

To learn more about our Surgical Weight Management Program and how to qualify, please call Libby Shaver, RN, at 828/326-2082.

Dr. Cox is a board-certified surgeon. Memberships include the American College of Surgeons, American Society for Bariatric Surgery, South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners, North Carolina Medical Society, Catawba County Medical Society and Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons.

Dr. Cox practices at Hickory Surgical Clinic, Inc.

Am I Morbidly Obese?
Answering this question may give you the courage you need to take the first step. Below are tools you can use to determine if you are morbidly obese and potentially a candidate for weight loss surgery.

There are several medically accepted criteria for defining morbid obesity. You are likely morbidly obese if you are:



Select your height and weight to calcluate your BMI. Note that these are approximate values and are intended to be used only as a rough guide.

Gender:
Height: ' "
Weight: lbs
BMI:
Ideal Weight: - lbs
Assessment:

 Ideal Body Weight Chart

Male    Female
Height Ideal Weight Height Ideal Weight
4' 6" 63 - 77 lbs. 4' 6" 63 - 77 lbs.
4' 7" 68 - 84 lbs. 4' 7" 68 - 83 lbs.
4' 8" 74 - 90 lbs. 4' 8" 72 - 88 lbs.
4' 9" 79 - 97 lbs. 4' 9" 77 - 94 lbs.
4' 10" 85 - 103 lbs. 4' 10" 81 - 99 lbs.
4' 11" 90 - 110 lbs. 4' 11" 86 - 105 lbs.
5' 0" 95 - 117 lbs. 5' 0" 90 - 110 lbs.
5' 1" 101 - 123 lbs. 5' 1" 95 - 116 lbs.
5' 2" 106 - 130 lbs. 5' 2" 99 - 121 lbs.
5' 3" 112 - 136 lbs. 5' 3" 104 - 127 lbs.
5' 4" 117 - 143 lbs. 5' 4" 108 - 132 lbs.
5' 5" 122 - 150 lbs. 5' 5" 113 - 138 lbs.
5' 6" 128 - 156 lbs. 5' 6" 117 - 143 lbs.
5' 7" 133 - 163 lbs. 5' 7" 122 - 149 lbs.
5' 8" 139 - 169 lbs. 5' 8" 126 - 154 lbs.
5' 9" 144 - 176 lbs. 5' 9" 131 - 160 lbs.
5' 10" 149 - 183 lbs. 5' 10" 135 - 165 lbs.
5' 11" 155 - 189 lbs. 5' 11" 140 - 171 lbs.
6' 0" 160 - 196 lbs. 6' 0" 144 - 176 lbs.
6' 1" 166 - 202 lbs. 6' 1" 149 - 182 lbs.
6' 2" 171 - 209 lbs. 6' 2" 153 - 187 lbs.
6' 3" 176 - 216 lbs. 6' 3" 158 - 193 lbs.
6' 4" 182 - 222 lbs. 6' 4" 162 - 198 lbs.
6' 5" 187 - 229 lbs. 6' 5" 167 - 204 lbs.
6' 6" 193 - 235 lbs. 6' 6" 171 - 209 lbs.
6' 7" 198 - 242 lbs. 6' 7" 176 - 215 lbs.
6' 8" 203 - 249 lbs. 6' 8" 180 - 220 lbs.
6' 9" 209 - 255 lbs. 6' 9" 185 - 226 lbs.
6' 10" 214 - 262 lbs. 6' 10" 189 - 231 lbs.
6' 11" 220 - 268 lbs. 6' 11" 194 - 237 lbs.
7' 0" 225 - 275 lbs. 7' 0" 198 - 242 lbs.

At age 34, Danny Yancey weighed in at 350 pounds and was not only frustrated, but also unhealthy. He had lost and re-gained weight more than once in an effort to get his weight under control, mainly to be there for his wife and three young daughters. "I was at the point where I felt like I wouldn't live very much longer," Danny explains. "I had high blood pressure and sleep apnea, and I was in really bad physical shape. I looked at my girls and realized I had to do something." Danny began to research weight loss options and met a woman who had successfully undergone gastric bypass surgery, which inspired him to learn more. When his sister saw that Catawba Valley Medical Center was hosting an informational seminar about Surgical Weight Management, Danny decided to attend. "I had researched all the doctors in the state and had basically narrowed it down to two, and one of them was Dr. Cook," Danny recalls. "When I found out that Dr. Cook was leading the seminar, it was the icing on the cake." Danny passed all the preliminary examinations and had surgery on March 11, 2005. He has since lost 150 pounds and has been able to maintain a healthy weight. Most importantly, his family has noticed a big difference. "I hear all the time now how good I look, but what people don't know is how great I feel," Danny explains. "I feel awesome. You don't realize how much obesity affects you both mentally and physically. I can do things now with my family that I wasn't able to do before. It's really had a positive effect on the quality of my health and my family life." Danny also praises the program's monthly support group, which he credits for helping him through the tough times. "The support group has been one of the biggest blessings in my life post-op," Danny says. "We have a dietitian and a social worker who work with us, and the coordinator is an absolute blessing to everyone. I've even called her in the middle of the night and during her kids' games, and she's been there for me. I can't stress enough what a positive impact they have had on me through all this."
- Danny Yancey




"On December 3, 2004, I had the Roux en Y gastric bypass at Catawba Valley Medical Center. Since then, my life has changed for the better. I have lost 75 lbs. in the last four months. I have stopped taking my high blood pressure medications. No longer do I wake up in the middle of the night with terrible heartburn. I can now walk up a flight of stairs without thinking I'm going to pass out. My energy levels have surpassed my highest expectations. "The staff at Catawba Valley Medical Center are the best. I can highly recommend Catawba Valley Medical Center to anyone who makes the difficult and highly educated decision to have bariatric surgery."
- Janet Heafner