Breakthrough Organization Will Benefit Post-Bariatric Patients

Newport Beach, CA (PRWEB) December 4, 2007 — A group of distinguished plastic surgeons has launched a powerful new resource for individuals who have experienced dramatic weight loss due to bariatric surgery or intensive dieting. Named the American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons (ASBPS), the organization’s primary focus is providing referrals to top-flight plastic surgeons who specialize in treating specific post-bariatric problems. By giving individuals easy access to an extensive database of first-rate specialists, the ASBPS offers a reliable means for significantly reducing the stress, doubt, and hassle of finding the appropriate healthcare professional.

What distinguishes the ASBPS is that all of its member surgeons are specialists in body contouring. These procedures are a viable remedy for the large areas of sagging skin that often result from massive weight loss. More than just a cosmetic step, body contouring provides a solution for a number of problems that can occur following bariatric surgery. “Removing excess skin is not only necessary to achieve optimal body shape, but it’s also helpful in improving overall health and quality-of-life,” said Peter Rubin MD, chair, American Society of Plastic Surgeons Post Bariatric Task Force. Sagging skin can inhibit movement, lead to infections, and have a sizeable psychological impact.

A Secure and Safe Solution

Founded by plastic surgeon, Dr. Edward Domanskis, the ASBPS offers patients the security of having easy access to the most advanced post-bariatric care possible. To qualify for membership in this unique organization, surgeons must be certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. In addition, most members belong to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, as well as the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery or the Canadian Society for Plastic Surgeons.

“The ASBPS is a complete information resource,” Dr. Domanskis points out. “Our hope is to provide individuals with the best chance of receiving high level care, as well as reinforce the fact that body and facial contouring is a very effective solution.”

Perfect Timing

According to Dr. Domanskis, the timing couldn’t be better for the ASBPS. Statistics clearly demonstrate a steep rise in worldwide obesity levels, as well as the number of individuals opting for body and facial contouring following massive weight loss. “Because of advances in medical techniques and safety,” says Dr. Domanskis, “the number of individuals choosing body contouring treatments has shot up in the last twenty years.” In 2006 alone, nearly 66,000 contouring procedures were performed, up 18% since 2004. Following this trend, the number of treatments will steadily increase over the next decade. Clearly, the ASBPS will prove an invaluable resource to the growing numbers choosing this procedure.

Press release source

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Related articles:

• Plastic Surgery After Weight Loss Surgery
• After Bariatric Surgery - What to Expect

What is a bariatric bypass and how exactly does this type of surgery work?

This question is on the minds of many obese individuals these days, especially as bariatric bypass surgeries become more popular as a treatment option (and more frequently covered by the media).

If you ask a surgeon who specializes in bypass surgery about this type of bariatric procedure, he or she will likely tell you that it’s one of the best forms of bariatric surgery available. But he or she would be biased, don’t you think? After all, if a surgeon performs bariatric bypass surgery for a living, you can hardly expect that surgeon to give you the full story about such surgeries.

In truth, however, the bariatric bypass (a.k.a. gastric bypass surgery) is currently being overshadowed by newer and less invasive forms of weight loss surgery. When you combine this with the new studies about the long-term ill effects of bypass surgery, it seems that the writing is one the wall. Personally, I predict that the bariatric bypass will be practically obsolete within the next ten years … maybe less.

In its place, there will be a wider variety of less-invasive bariatric surgery procedures, such as the LAP-BAND System (by Allergan, Inc.) and the Realize Adjustable Gastric Band (by Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. and Johnson and Johnson). These adjustable gastric bands — and the future versions that we will see — work by reducing the usable size of the patient’s stomach, but they do it in a much less invasive way than a bariatric bypass procedure.

Consider the difference:

With the banding types of bariatric surgery, an adjustable band is inserted around the upper portion of the stomach by way of small incisions (smaller than the incisions associated with a bariatric bypass surgery). Thus, these banding procedures are considered laparoscopic weight loss surgery — or “minimally invasive” surgery.

With gastric banding, the weight loss is achieved by limiting the amount of usable space in the stomach, thereby limiting the patient’s capacity for food. The bands are also adjustable and removable, which gives the patient options going forward.

Bariatric bypass surgery achieves a similar result, but it almost appears barbaric by comparison. With this approach, the upper portion of the stomach is also “partitioned,” as with the banding procedures. But it is not done in a minimally invasive way. On top of that, most bypass surgeries will actually reroute the small intestines to connect with the new smaller pouch of the stomach (hence the term bariatric bypass surgery).

This degree of severity is the reason why bypass surgeries are usually reserved for people who are morbidly obese.

Bariatric Surgery Complications

This is not to say that gastric banding procedures are perfect. In truth, there are certain risks and complications with all types of bariatric surgery. For example, Lap Band slippage can be a problem with some patients.

My point is simply this. When you compare these types of surgeries, it is easy to see why young surgeons just starting out in the world of bariatrics often choose the newer banding surgeries as their specialty (as opposed to the bariatric bypass surgeries). From a career standpoint, it seems to make sense. The newer, less invasive procedures will simply be around longer.

I hope this article helps you obtain a well-rounded understanding of bariatric bypass and the many other forms of weight loss surgery.

UI Hospitals and Clinics named Center of Excellence for bariatric surgery

University of Iowa Health Care leaders announced today that UI Hospitals and Clinics has been named an American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) Center of Excellence.

Faced with clinical evidence that the most experienced and best-run bariatric surgery programs have by far the lowest rates of complications, the ASMBS Centers of Excellence program was created to recognize bariatric surgery centers that perform well and to help surgeons and hospitals continue to improve the quality and safety of care provided.

To earn a Center of Excellence designation, UI Hospitals and Clinics underwent a site inspection during which all aspects of the bariatric surgery program — UI Obesity Surgery — and its surgical processes were closely examined, and data on health outcomes was collected. In becoming a Center of Excellence, UI Obesity Surgery has held itself to some of the highest standards in the industry. The designation is indicative of the program’s demonstrated track record and comprehensive commitment to a high level of bariatric care.

The Bariatric Surgery Centers of Excellence program benefits patients by enhancing safety and advocacy efforts, providing a platform for continuously improving the procedure, building a shared database to help guide decisions about patient care, and advancing research in the field.

Obesity has become a significant national health issue, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting that 66 percent of all U.S. adults are overweight or obese. Morbid obesity is closely correlated with a number of serious conditions that severely undermine the health of overweight patients, including heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Bariatric surgery, when performed correctly, can help obese patients manage these conditions. By definition, surgeons with ASMBS Center of Excellence designations practice only top-quality care, ensuring efficacy of the procedure with each patient to the best of their abilities.

UI Obesity Surgery provides a comprehensive pre-operative patient education program and a multidisciplinary approach to patient care. The program’s low complication rates match, and even exceed, the best published national series in the field, making the UI Obesity Surgery program one of the nation’s safest. A long-term, post-operative follow-up process maximizes weight loss.

Isaac Samuel, M.D., director of UI Obesity Surgery, stated, “UI Hospitals and Clinics is widely recognized as the birthplace of obesity surgery. Edward Mason, M.D., professor emeritus, was the first to conceptualize and perform gastric bypass operations for severe obesity in 1965 and is widely known as the father of obesity surgery. I thank the entire team for working hard over the past three years to achieve this special designation.”

The program was the first in Iowa to offer minimally invasive laparoscopic gastric bypass for the treatment of severe obesity. Results show that this technically complex procedure can be performed safely at specialized centers. Laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery is associated with less post-operative pain, reduced hospital stays, earlier return to work and substantial cosmetic benefits.

In 2005, Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa designated UI Hospitals and Clinics as a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence. The national Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association “Blue Centers for Bariatric Surgery” status followed in 2006. Those designations also underscored the program’s excellence in patient education and outstanding clinical outcomes.

For further information, visit http://www.uihealthcare.com/weight.

STORY SOURCE: Joint Office for Marketing and Communications, University of Iowa Health Care, 200 Hawkins Drive, Room E110 GH, Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1009
MEDIA CONTACT: Tom Moore, 319-356-3945, thomas-moore@uiowa.edu