Sleep apnea, a condition where a sleeping person stops breathing for periods of time or doesn't have deep enough breathing often throughout the night, is getting more and more attention recently. It's a dangerous condition in itself, but recent studies have also linked it to a high risk of stroke and hearing loss. One of the biggest contributing factors to sleep apnea is being morbidly obese. This is why, when Dr. Michael Feiz treats his patients with an initial bariatric surgery or a revision sleeve gastrectomy after lap band, sleep apnea issues are usually resolved along with their obesity.

Based in Los Angeles, Dr. Feiz and Associates offers a wide range of procedures with the intent to treat morbid obesity. Weight loss surgery's primary goal, no matter the choice of lap band vs. gastric sleeve, is to help those whose lives are dramatically hindered by their obesity finally lose weight and achieve a healthier lifestyle. A big part of this is helping with sleep apnea, which some studies have suggested is present in 60% of patients who undergo bariatric surgery.

While it's unclear if bariatric surgery has a direct effect on sleep apnea, what is clear is that weight loss can and often does help resolve obstructive sleep apnea. And, successful and sustainable weight loss is Dr. Feiz' forte. He offers invaluable treatments and aftercare that helps patients learn how to thrive in their new bodies. His procedures, most commonly the sleeve gastrectomy and lap band, are performed fully through laparoscope, minimizing the invasiveness of the procedure. He's also proficient in the band to sleeve revision procedure which helps those who did not have success with the lap band try again with a sleeve gastrectomy.