Bariatric surgery, also known as weight loss surgery, is a surgical procedure that helps obese individuals that have been unable to lose weight through traditional methods. Bariatric surgery is usually only recommended for the morbidly obese with a BMI of 40 or greater. Procedures usually involve reducing the size of the stomach by either banding or complete remove of a part of the organ. People who have bariatric surgery can often see dramatic weight loss in just a short amount of time.