Department of Obesity Surgery @ Istituto Clinico Beato Matteo

The Bariatric Surgery Unit at Istituto Clinico Beato Matteo in Vigevano provides comprehensive care for obese patients, offering a fully personalized treatment pathway that includes medical, nutritional, and psychological support throughout the therapeutic process. Each patient undergoes a thorough evaluation based on specific criteria to determine the most suitable surgical approach. These criteria include a Body Mass Index (BMI) over 40, often associated with other medical conditions, an age range between 18 and 65 years, a history of unsuccessful medical and dietary treatments, and the absence of clinical or psychological contraindications that could interfere with surgery or follow-up care.

One of the department’s key strengths is its multidisciplinary approach, where the surgeon collaborates closely with dietitians and psychologists to decide on the most appropriate intervention. The focus is always on the patient as an individual rather than just their excess weight, ensuring that the surgical choice aligns with their lifestyle and eating habits while providing the safest and most effective clinical pathway.

Bariatric surgical procedures are classified into two main types:

• restrictive interventions, which promote weight loss by significantly reducing stomach capacity and permanently limiting food intake,
• malabsorptive procedures, which induce weight loss by creating controlled intestinal malabsorption.

All surgical procedures offered for the treatment of obesity are minimally invasive and reversible, ensuring a safer and more controlled weight-loss journey. Achieving and maintaining results is a fundamental aspect of the process, and post-surgical follow-up plays a crucial role in optimizing weight loss, supporting long-term success, and preventing complications.