Medical Groups Issue Updated Guidelines for Weight Loss Surgery
The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, The Obesity Society, and American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery have updated their guidelines for weight loss surgery based on the most current clinical evidence. The guidelines provide recommendations pertaining to the care of bariatric surgery patients before, during, and after surgery. The recommendations are developed to assist [...]
Read the full article →Study Challenges Economic Benefit of Bariatric Surgery
If bariatric surgery does not reduce overall healthcare costs, is it still worth it? Will insurance companies still cover it? Should they? Or should bariatric surgery be excluded from coverage just like many other types of elective procedures for personal quality of life reasons. Many studies have been done examining the safety and effectiveness of [...]
Read the full article →What Bariatric Surgery Patients Need to Know About Acetaminophen
Researchers at California Pacific Medical Center have found that prior bariatric surgery may place patients at a higher risk for acute liver failure from acetaminophen poisoning. It is known that the overuse of acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) is the most common cause of acute liver failure in the United States, but researchers say that to the [...]
Read the full article →Cleveland Clinic Names Bariatric Surgery Top Medical Innovation
Bariatric surgery for diabetes control was selected as the top medical innovation for 2013 by physicians and scientists at the Cleveland Clinic. The announcement was made today during the Cleveland Clinic’s 2012 Medical Innovation Summit. The highly anticipated Top 10 list is released annually naming the devices and therapies that will have a major impact [...]
Read the full article →Five-Year Study Examines Sleeve Gastrectomy Outcomes
The safety and effectiveness of sleeve gastrectomy as a bariatric surgical procedure was demonstrated once again in a recently published five-year study. The results showed this new and upcoming type of weight loss surgery achieved good long-term weight loss and resolution of co-morbid medical conditions. Sleeve Gastrectomy (SG), also known as the gastric sleeve, has [...]
Read the full article →Reversal of Lap-Band to Sleeve Gastrectomy Attractive Option
Sleeve gastrectomy is an attractive option when complications or failure of weight loss occurs after Lap-Band surgery, according to results from a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. The Lap-Band has a proven track record for the majority of patients, yet for some it does not [...]
Read the full article →CMS Decision Allows Coverage of Gastric Sleeve
On June 27, 2012, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final decision memorandum allowing coverage of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy on a case-by-case basis for Medicare beneficiaries. The CMS opted not to make a national coverage determination and instead let regional medicare administrative contractors, who “are in a better position to consider [...]
Read the full article →CMS Issues Proposed Decision for Sleeve Gastrectomy
On March 29, 2012, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed decision memorandum regarding the request to include laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) as a treatment for morbid obesity for qualified Medicare beneficiaries. According to the memo, the panel does not believe there is enough evidence at this time to include laparoscopic [...]
Read the full article →Enhance Weight Loss After Failed Gastric Banding
While the majority of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) patients enjoy positive outcomes and successful weight loss, for some, the results are not so fortunate. It is estimated that 20-30% of all gastric band cases require revisional bariatric surgery due to complications or inadequate weight loss. Revisional surgery following LAGB can take several forms, but [...]
Read the full article →Quality of Eating Best After Gastric Sleeve
A recent study found that food tolerance and gastrointestinal quality of life was best after sleeve gastrectomy approximately 2 to 4 years after surgery compared to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and adjustable gastric banding. The impact of bariatric surgery on quality of eating and food tolerance is an issue that is not always considered, yet these [...]
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