Tag Archives: lap-band.

Gastric bypass to ‘cure’ diabetes goes mainstream

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A full year after we reported it here (and several years after initially being reported in the literature), mainstream media has finally picked up the story about gastric bypass surgery for the definitive treatment of diabetes.   The story made all of the heavies; the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, and the Los Angeles Times.

Unfortunately, all of these outlets seem unaware of the existing literature in this area – these results while encouraging, are not surprising.  Similar results have been demonstrated in several other (but smaller) studies for the past ten years, which led to previous recommendations (last summer) for the adoption of gastric bypass surgery as a first-line treatment for diabetes in obese patients.

The publication of two new studies showing clear benefits for diabetics undergoing bariatric surgery has brought this news to the forefront.  In both of these studies, diabetic patients were able to stop taking oral glycemics and insulins after surgery within days..

As this front page story from the New York Times notes – these results do not apply to the more widely marketed ‘lap-band.’  This comes to no surprise to dedicated followers at Cartagena Surgery, who have been reading articles on this topic since our site’s inception in late 2010.

You heard it here first.  For more information on this topic, see our tab on Diabetes & Bariatrics under the ‘surgery’ header. We’ve included a small selection from our archives here.

Bariatric surgery headlines – August 2010

Gastric bypass surgery gets the international federation of diabetes approval.

Gastric bypass as treatment for diabetes

Bariatric Surgery Safety: More than your weight is at risk!

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Dying to be thin?  These patients are… A look at the Get-Thin clinics in Beverly Hills, California..

This series from LA Times writers, Michael Hiltzik and Stuart Pfiefer highlights the importance of safety and the apparent lack of regulation in much of the bariatric procedure business here in the United States.

In these reports – which follow several patient deaths from lap-band procedures, both surgeons and surgical staff alike have made numerous reports against the ‘Get Thin” clinics operating in Beverly Hills and West Hills, California.  These allegations include unsafe and unsanitary practices.  One of the former surgeons is involved in a ‘whistle-blower’ lawsuit as he describes the dangerous practices in this clinic and how they led to several deaths.

Regulators ignore complaints against Beverly Hills clinics despite patient deaths  – in the most recent installment, Hiltzik decries the lack of action from regulatory boards who have ignored the situation since complaints first arose in 2009!

House members call for probe into Lap-Band safety, marketing – California legislators call for action, but the clinics stay open. (article by Stuart Pfiefer)

Plaintiffs allege ‘gruesome conditions’ at Lap-Band clinics – mistakes and cover-ups at the popular weight loss clinics.  (article by Stuart Pfiefer)  This story detailing a patient’s death made me ill – but unfortunately reminded me of conditions I had seen at a clinic I wrote about in a previous publication..  The absolute lack of the minimum standards of patient care – is horrifying.  This woman died unnecessarily and in agony.  It proves my point that anesthesiologists need to be detailed, and focused on the case at hand.. (not iPhones, crosswords or any of the other distractions I’ve seen in multiple cases.. Now this case doesn’t specifically mention a distracted anesthesiologist – but given the situation described in the story above, he couldn’t have been paying attention, that’s for sure.

Gastric banding versus gastric bypass: Easy?

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Another example in the realm of surgery where easiest doesn’t equal most effective: gastric banding (lap-band). This is one of those procedures highly touted in American medicine – and heavily advertised on television as an ‘easy’ way to lose weight..

First, let’s get some things clear – the ‘easy’ mentality needs to go away in medicine, and so does the pushing of this concept with patients.. None of this; not surgery, weight loss drugs, or conventional treatment is easy for the patient..It’s all hard work, so don’t mislead your patients – that sets them up for failure..

In the article linked here (from the LA times, February 2011) the two doctors interviewed do their best to avoid answering the easy/ effective question. “I let the patient decide,” which is a royal cop-out. Patients come to doctors for expert opinions and recommendations not wishy-washy information that doesn’t present the facts and evidence. The picture accompanying the article is disturbing as well, since it’s captioned as a patient awaiting lap-band.. The patient is clearly morbidly obese – yet is undergoing the least effective option available!

What makes this frustrating to me – is that in talking to patients – is that it’s usually such a long road to even get to bariatric surgery.. Contrary to popular belief and tabloid reporting, the majority of overweight people don’t jump to bariatric surgery.. These patients spend years (sometimes decades) dieting, gaining and losing weight..
This isn’t always the case in other countries where surgery is more readily available – but in the USA where insurance coverage or lack there of, usually dictates care – bariatric surgery is usually the end of a long, frustrating road..

I know I’ve discussed this before on the site – but I feel that there needs to be transparency in treatment options – and that we need to do away with the ‘easy’ concept whether it’s bariatric surgery, stents or even medications.. Don’t sell people easy – give them safe, proven and effective.

I’ll be updating the article over the next few days with links for more information – and hard facts about surgical options and obesity surgery.

Related Articles: Free full-text links: (my titles, the actual titles are a bit longer)

1. It’s Not Easy – a study looking at the patients perspective, and perceptions before and 2 years after bariatric surgery.

2. Current treatment guidelines and limitations – a discussion of current treatment guidelines in the USA and Canada

3. German study with 14 year outcomes after gastric banding – this is a nice study because they use terms that are easily understood for laypeople – and shows decent outcomes for patients with this procedure

4. Single port bariatric surgery – this has been a hot topic over at the sister site. This article discusses the most recent innovations in surgical techniques for bariatric surgery.

5. A review of the current data (2008) surrounding bariatric surgery, obesity, and diabetes and the cost of care.
This is a particularly good article (reviews often are) because it gives a nice summary of multiple other studies – so intead of reading about eight patients in Lebanon or some other small group – you are getting a good general overview..also it gives a good idea the scope of the problem..

I’m trying to collect a wide range of articles for patient education; unfortunately, since surgeons in Latin America are on the forefront of bariatric surgery – a lot of the most interesting articles are in Spanish and Portuguese (or paid articles). i haven’t posted the translations since they are secondary source and all of the other citations are primary source.

Bariatric surgery in the medical news

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New article on Medscape (a medical literature website for health care providers) discussing the benefits of bariatric surgery.  In this article they cite a surgery cost of at least $30,000 which is out of reach for many of the people who need it;  as morbid obesity and related complications push up health care costs for individuals.

I’ve posted the link for you to read it for yourself:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/726966?src=mp&spon=22&uac=63155MX

this website does require registration, (which I think is free.)

But as my readers know, there are more cost-effective alternatives, as mentioned in the entire chapter devoted to bariatric surgery in Cartagena.

As readers know, in that chapter, I introduce you to one of Latin America’s most famous surgeons, Dr. Holguin, a former trauma surgeon at Maryland’s Shock Trauma hospital in Baltimore, MY in addition to several other excellent surgeons.  Most North Americans don’t know it but Cartagena is fast gaining a reputation for excellence in bariatric surgery, and is becoming a destination of choice for gastric bypass, lap-band, sleeve resection and other bariatric surgery procedures.