Pediatric Bariatric Surgery

Many kids struggle with obesity. If your child has made efforts to control their weight but is still significantly above the healthy range for their age and height or experiencing any other health problems related to their obesity, surgical weight loss may be their best option.

Bariatric surgery has been proven to be a safe, effective, and long-lasting weight loss method for teenagers suffering from severe obesity. We can help kids who are between 15 and 18 years old lose weight, keep it off, and set themselves up for a lifetime of better health.

Comprehensive approach

We provide a full range of diagnostic and non-surgical services to help kids prepare their bodies for surgery and keep the weight off after it. Our patients are supported by dietitians, exercise experts, surgeons, and psychologists who work together to help them build and maintain healthy lifestyle habits.

Leading-edge treatments

Our state-of-the-art care includes genetic testing, medical treatments like GLP-1 inhibitors, and robotic-assisted minimally invasive surgical techniques.

Nationally and regionally recognized

We are Michigan’s only comprehensive, multidisciplinary adolescent bariatric and metabolic surgery program at an accredited children’s hospital. We are a designated Comprehensive Center with Adolescent Qualifications by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP).

Patient centered

We recognize that taking care of teenagers requires a different approach than adults. Care is personalized to address the specific causes of each child’s obesity and their unique medical, physical, and emotional needs.

Your child may be a candidate for surgical weight loss if they are at least 15 years old and have severe obesity or obesity alongside at least one serious weight-related health problem.

Doctors often use a screening tool called body mass index (BMI) to assess obesity. Because kids are still growing, their BMI results are interpreted differently than adult patients. To find your child’s BMI, contact your doctor or use an online BMI calculator for children and teens. Keep in mind that BMI is only a guideline, and your child will still need to see a doctor to confirm a diagnosis.

Obesity and severe obesity

Obesity in children means having a body weight that is higher than what's typical for their age and sex. It is measured using body mass index (BMI). A child will generally be considered obese if their BMI is above the 95th percentile (that is, higher than 95 out of 100 of their peers) based on their sex, age, and height. Some children have severe obesity, which means their BMI is at or above 120% of the 95th percentile, or 35 or higher.

Obesity-related health problems

Along with obesity, your child might also have serious health issues, including insulin resistance and diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obstructive sleep apnea, or a buildup of fat in the liver (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease or MASLD).

Our complete surgical weight loss program incorporates a variety of medical, lifestyle, and surgical therapies. These approaches complement each other, working together to address the many different factors that cause excessive weight gain and setting your child up for long-term post-surgical success. Here’s what you can expect:

Comprehensive weight loss support

At least six months prior to surgery, your child will begin a period of evaluation, medical treatment, and educational support from a multidisciplinary team of experts.

This helps ensure your child is fully prepared before going forward with surgery. It also helps them address the root causes of their obesity — whether medical, dietary, psychological, or exercise-related — and build effective plans to maintain their health after surgery. The team includes:

• Pediatric obesity medicine specialists
• Registered dietitians
• Exercise specialists
• Psychologists

Robotic sleeve gastrectomy

In this procedure, surgeons remove approximately 75% of your child’s stomach, leaving behind a narrow “sleeve” approximately the size of a banana. The smaller stomach doesn’t produce as many hunger-causing hormones, which helps reduce their appetite and cravings. And they won’t be able to eat as much before feeling full.

Gastric sleeve surgery is a minimally invasive procedure, meaning doctors only need to make a few small incisions to do the work. We use a doctor-controlled robotic device for increased precision and control. Benefits of this approach include faster recovery and less post-surgical pain. Most children only need to spend one to two nights in the hospital before they can go home.

Follow-up care

While still in the hospital, you and your child will meet with your weight loss care team to review nutrition guidelines and other plans. Your child will have activity restrictions and need to be on a liquid diet at first, but will gradually transition to normal activity and a solid diet over the following weeks to months. During this time, your child will have frequent visits with their care team to support healthy recovery.

Because weight loss surgery makes permanent changes to your child’s digestive system, it does require a lifelong commitment to lifestyle changes involving diet, exercise, and medications. Your child will have the long-term support and follow up of their medical and surgical teams to help them lose weight and stay healthy.