Posts Tagged ‘Obesity surgery’

Why My Weight Loss Procedure Can Fail?

Wednesday, September 14th, 2011

Why My Weight Loss Procedure Can Fail?

The first and most important step to minimize the chances of failure from a Bariatric procedure and to increase your success rate is to be well informed about each one of the surgeries before you choose any of them.

What should you know about Weight Loss Surgery?

  • How does each procedure work? How will they assist in weight loss?
  • What should you expect from the Lap Band, Gastric Sleeve, or Gastric Bypass procedures, in terms of weight loss and/or Type 2 Diabetes
  • The difference in short and long-term benefits for each procedure
  • The operative risks and complication rates for each procedure
  • How much follow-up and support will you need for each procedure
  • How much of the Total Patient Care (TPC) program services will you need
  • What kind of adjustments will you need following surgery?
  • What kind of commitment is expected from you, for each procedure
  • What should you expect from the Doctor or Bariatric Group that you choose
  • The surgical options you have for each of the procedures in case of a failure
  • Finally, the cost of each procedure

What should you know about the Doctor or Bariatric Group?

You have to be well informed about the Doctors and medical team performing the Lap Band, the Gastric Sleeve or the Gastric Bypass.  Choose your surgeon and medical team wisely in order to ensure the best results for your weight loss success.

  • Ask about their education and training credentials if you are planning to go to a Latin Country. Look for Medical Degrees in Private Colleges like Monterrey Tech, University of Monterrey, or LaSalle School of Medicine, or other reputable medical universities.
  • Ask about where they received their Surgical Training. There can be a big difference in the treatment you will receive between doctors trained in well-known Private Hospitals, rather than in the Social Governmental Health Care System.
  • Ask about their Diplomas. Did they have to write a Medical Tests to join the Medical Society or Surgeon group, or did they just pay a subscription fee to become a member?
  • Check the number of Revision Surgeries they have been involved with. This may give you an indication of the quality of their work.
  • Check their Surgical Staff for credentials and experience. Consider the Anesthesiologist and any other assistant surgeons. It is important that they have experience in Bariatric surgery.
  • Double-check the Ethics and Professionalism of their Promoters or Coordinators.
  • Finally, check the Follow Up and Support they would provide you after your surgery.

Diet Rules to Follow (Regardless of the Weight Loss Procedure you Choose)

For any weight loss method to be successful and effective, you have to make some healthy lifestyle choices regarding the foods that you eat.  Bariatric surgery is an effective way to increase the rate of weight loss, but the best results can only happen when you make healthy choices.  After Bariatric surgery, you will feel full with a smaller amount of food – make sure to choose foods with the most nutritional value to help you on the journey to a new, healthier you!

  • Follow the Diet Steps recommended by your Doctor or the Nutritionist after surgery.
  • Chewing very well will help to maintain the pouch size, preventing stomach stretching and decreasing the risk of blockages and reflux in the esophagus or stomach.
  • Eat 6 small meals a day.
  • Eat slowly; take your time at the table.
  • Preferably, hydrate or drink beverages between meals.
  • Avoid Gastric Irritants like Alcohol, Coffee, Hot or Spicy, Vinegar, Soy Sauce or other Acid Beverages.
  • Limit high calorie foods like chocolate, cream and full-fat dairy products.

Failure Features Characteristically observed with Bariatric Procedures

These “failures” can be a result of a number of different circumstances or actions, or may develop slowly over time.  Therefore, it is important to have regular follow-ups to monitor your weight loss and the status of your lap band, sleeve or gastric pouch.  Remember: If you have any concerns, don’t be afraid to ask your doctor.

  • Big Gastric Pouches
  • Mega- esophagus
  • Wide Gastric Sleeve
  • Excessive tightness of the Gastric Band
  • Wide outlet of the Bypass Gastro-Yeyuno
  • Very Short common limb of the Gastric Bypass

 

Arturo Rodríguez, MD

http://www.thebariatric.com

Originally posted 2008-07-10 23:25:31. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Posted in Gastric band Procedure, Gastric Band surgery, Gastric Banding, gastric bypass, gastric sleeve, Lap Band procedure, Lap band surgery, Obesity, Obesity surgery, Revision Surgery, Roux-n-Y, RYGB, Weight loss surgery | 2 Comments »

The Laparoscopic Journey: Past and Future

Wednesday, August 31st, 2011

The Laparoscopic Journey: Past and Future

Our History

The knowledge that we have today about laparoscopy has developed through the patience, hard-work and determination of dedicated doctors and individuals. When we started doing laparoscopic surgery, many doctors without laparoscopic training argued that open surgery had a better view through the large incision, than from the tiny camera’s panoramic view. They also thought that the sense of touch was lost by using instruments instead of fingers tips. They stated we were introducing unnecessary risks to any procedure by doing so. However, over time we have discovered that laparoscopic surgery is a very safe method.  The view is much better with the cameras moving in all possible directions, and the tip of the instruments act as well as finger tips do after you have been trained to use the instruments.

We also were discouraged from performing laparoscopic surgery in the elderly, in the young and in the morbidly obese patients. The patients under this category were unable to have laparoscopic procedures of any kind in all major hospitals.  However, time and experience have also demonstrated the safety of this technique for higher-risk patients.  Now, everyone recognizes the laparoscopic method as the best option for many surgical procedures, and many people are now are surprised when procedures are not done using laparoscopy.

Advancement in the quality of lap band products has continued over the past 30 years.  The first lap band model in the United States was the Inamed Lap Band, approved by the FDA in 2001. Doctors in the States began using this band as it was the only approved model in the US.  We initially promoted another type of Lap Band that was developed in Europe, with a softer ring, and a bigger, low-pressure balloon to adjust to any stomach size.  This type of Lap Band was approved by the FDA in 2006, and has now become the most widely used type of lap band in the world.  A few years ago, this band was purchased by Johnson and Johnson and is now known in the US market as the Realize Band. Inamed (Now Allergan) has five different models of the Lap Band, which have been designed to emulate many of the characteristics of the Realize band.

What´s Next?

Initially, there was much resistance against treating patients with a BMI less than 35, with bariatric procedures such as the Lap Band.  The medical community now supports preventative medicine, by encouraging patients to be pro-active rather than waiting five or tens year and developing co-morbidities before they treat the medical problem.  Today, there are various procedures acceptable for patients with a BMI of less than 35, including the Gastric Band, as well as more drastic procedures such as the Gastric Bypass, Duodenal Bypass, Gastric Sleeve and Duodenal Exclusion.  These procedures are also helpful if you are looking for your patient to obtain the Metabolic Effect from these procedures, and to improve blood sugar control for patients with Type2 Diabetes, High blood pressure and High Cholesterol (Metabolic Syndrome).

Arturo Rodríguez, MD
http://www.thebariatric.com
http://www.bandstersforum.com

Originally posted 2008-06-02 00:35:50. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Posted in Gastric band Procedure, Gastric Band surgery, Gastric Banding, gastric sleeve, Lap Band procedure, Lap band surgery, Obesity, Obesity surgery | 3 Comments »