WTHR Story on Bariatric Surgery

Mom called and told me about it. Here is the link and story: http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=5097110&nav=menu188_6 New risk assessment for bariatric surgery June 29, 2006 04:19 PM EDT Anne Marie Tiernon/Health Reporter He's passed the magic 100 pounds lost mark, now at 242. Before, at 360, doctors told Steve Foley of Acton he had a 20 percent chance of dying if he picked bariatric surgery. "I said, 'Well, 80 percent sounds good to me.'" Foley's surgery was a success. But now from Duke University comes an effort to standardize that risk number on a five-point scale. Foley thinks "any information you get as to risk or success is a good thing. More is not too much." The scoring system is simple, one point for every yes answer. Are you a male? Are you over the age of 45? Is your BMI greater than 50? Are you Hypertensive? Are you at risk for an embolism? Foley says he was a four out of a five and he'd do it again. "I think for the lay person it may help them see where they are on the risk." Dr. Margaret Inman has performed several thousand procedures practicing at the St. Vincent Carmel Center of Excellence. "What I need to to is get them the extra five, ten, 15, 20 years that were taken away by their co-morbidity and morbid obesities and if I really don't think I can get that, it is not worth the risk of subjecting them to the surgery." While not formalized with points, Inman considers the five risk factors and more before agreeing to surgery, but believes the points may benefit the patient the most. "I think there are a lot of people, their minds are made up. Some people are tens on a scale of five and want us to do surgery and that is not always what we are going to say. We are going to say, no, you are not a candidate." Foley's was surgery last September. He's hoping to reach his ultimate weight of between 200 and 205 by the end of the year. Sam

yeap, what i saw pretty much when i went to the site where the ones had passed on, i was seeing more health issues and higher bmi's

I'm a little confused.. If you have a higher BMI, don't you want to have the surgery???? Granted,, I'm only 30,, I don't have hypertension, and i'm not male,, but I do have like a 54% BMI... Why does the BMI make you a greater risk?