June 20, 2007 at 5:15 pm | Gastric Bypass
We recently posted about a new report on gastric bypass for older patients. The report that we cited has made its way into the news stream and is now popping up all over the web. If you’d like to learn more about this subject, here’s a roundup of some recent stories:
Bariatric Surgery Appears Safe for Older Medicare Patients
CHICAGO, IL — June 19, 2007 — Complications after bariatric surgery appear similar between patients younger and older than age 60 and also between Medicare recipients and non-recipients, according to a study in the June issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
DocGuide.com
Weight Loss Surgery OK After Age 60?
Weight loss surgery may be OK for people aged 60 and older, provided they’ve been carefully screened, a new study shows.
WebMD.com
More Obese Seniors Choosing Gastric Bypass Surgery
Recent research suggests seniors can benefit from weight-loss surgery as much as younger people and maybe more. One study, from Columbia University’s Center for Obesity Surgery in New York, found that patients over 60 got the same benefits from the surgery and had a comparable rate of postoperative complications as younger people.
Yahoo Lifestyle
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June 19, 2007 at 7:24 am | Surgery News
A leading provider of bariatric weight-loss surgery information has created an interactive tool to teach the public about bariatric surgery.
Round Rock, TX - 6/19/07 — The Bariatric Learning Center has created an online quiz to help potential patients ask the right questions before deciding on bariatric weight-loss surgery.
Over the last decade or so, the number of weight loss surgeries in the United States has increased nearly tenfold. That’s what prompted the Bariatric Learning Center to launch its campaign of consumer education. The website provides a constant stream of news, articles and resources related to bariatric weight-loss surgery.
The latest addition to the website is an interactive quiz that funnels readers through a series of questions (and answers) related to bariatric surgery. Brandon Cornett, the publisher of Bariatric Learning Center, explained how he chose the topics for this quiz:
“The quiz is basically a collection of the most commonly asked questions on bariatric surgery. We have taken these questions and put them into a quiz format to engage readers and help them learn about important aspects of surgery. It covers the things most people want to know, such as the types of bariatric surgery, basic screening criteria, other options for weight loss and the cost of bariatric surgery.”
Cornett stressed that the quiz is not meant to take the place of professional medical advice, but to complement and reinforce such advice. He also added that his quiz is only a starting point for patient education:
“Obviously, these are not the only questions a person should ask about bariatric weight-loss surgery. A person considering such a procedure will probably have a long list of questions in mind already. We simply hope to expand that list by addressing some of the most commonly asked questions.”
Take the weight-loss surgery quiz today!
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June 19, 2007 at 7:13 am | Gastric Bypass
Is bariatric weight-loss surgery (gastric bypass) safe for patients over 60 years old? That is a question posed by doctors at the Case Western Reserve University, and published in the June issue of Archives of Surgery.
According to the report:
…a recent review of the Medicare database … reported significant mortality rates in all Medicare recipients undergoing bariatric surgery, especially elderly patients. Consequently, we have undertaken this study to critically review our experience with Medicare patients and elderly patients undergoing gastric bypass and have compared the results of these 2 groups with the remainder of our bariatric database population.
Read the rest here
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June 18, 2007 at 7:46 am | Lap Band Surgery
One of the latest trends in weight loss surgery seems to be going abroad to save money. Mexico, for example, appears to be a popular destination for surgery with the LAP-BAND® System. We blogged about LAP-BAND surgery in Mexico previously, so I won’t belabor that same point. I only offer the following advice.
Regardless of where you decide to go for bariatric weight-loss surgery (LAP-BAND or otherwise), you should put the skill and experience of the surgeon above the cost of the procedure. I mean seriously, let’s keep our priorities straight here. This is you health and well-being we are talking about. Do you really want to bargain shop with those things on the line?
Case in point, I stumbled across a website today (that prompted this blog post) that was using price positioning techniques you’d recognize from a used car commercial. It proclaimed in big bold letters: “Lap Band Surgery … Starting at $7,250!” Of course, to obtain information from this website you have to agree to a legal form that says you will hold the owner harmless in the event of surgery problems. Really? Just to request info? Now that’s scary.
I think you see my point. I do not recommend for or against weight loss surgery. I do not recommend the U.S. over Mexico or vice-versa. We are neutral here, as you know. I’m simply recommending that you use common sense and good judgment when choosing a bariatric surgery provider, and that you put experience over price. After all, this isn’t a Hyundai you’re buying.
Related article: Going Abroad for Bariatric Surgery
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June 16, 2007 at 9:11 am | Surgery News
Several times in the past, we have blogged about bariatric weight-loss surgery for teens / adolescents. Because of this website’s neutrality policy, we do not recommend for or against bariatric surgery for teens. We have only written about it because it has been in the news so much lately.
So I thought it might be helpful to round up some of our previous blog posts on the subject of weight loss surgery for teens, as well as some related articles and resources from around the Web.
Previous blog posts:
Teens Handle Obesity Surgery Better Than Adults
This blog post summarized an MSNBC article that cited research on the subject. The research (and the article) stated that adolescents seem to be less likely than adults to suffer complications of bariatric weight-loss surgery.
Weight Loss Surgery for Teens
Here’s another blog post that covers a news story. This story was run on the HamptonRoads.org, a local news website in Hampton Roads, Virginia. It tells the story of an 18-year-old who underwent gastric bypass surgery and lost 170 lbs.
Study Will Assess Bariatric Surgery in Teens
This is a press release we posted on the blog that explains how the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will conduct a study to evaluate the risks vs. benefits of bariatric surgery in adolescents.
12-Year-Old Girl Has Lap Band Surgery
This blog post cites a story from a local news affiliate in Kitsap, Washington in which a 12-year-old girl and her mother venture to Tijuana, Mexico for Lap-Band Surgery.
Articles on site:
LAP-BAND Surgery for Teens?
In this article, author Donald Saunders examines the rise of LAP-BAND surgery among teens.
Weight Loss Surgery for Teens, Latest Trend
Dr. Ron McCluskey gives his professional views on weight loss surgery for teens, which he describes as the latest trend in the world of bariatric surgery.
Articles off site:
Weight Loss Surgery Safe for Teens?
Miranda Hitti of WebMD summarizes the news covered in our first blog post above, that teens seem to have less complications from bariatric surgery than adults have.
More Teens Having Weight Loss Surgery
Consumer Affairs takes a look at this subject, stating that “more and more teens are turning to weight-loss surgery, even though the overall number remains small.”
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