Latest Weight Loss Surgery News

Bariatric Surgery Before Total Knee Replacement Improves Outcomes and is Cost Effective

posted by Admin User at 2016-02-12 14:43:00

Total knee arthroplasty in morbidly obese patients prior to bariatric surgery is linked to a reduction in costs and post-surgery complications according to a new study published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. This is good news for obese patients with end-stage osteoarthritis as previous research associates obesity and total knee arthroplasty with high costs and adverse outcomes after the procedure.
"We know that bariatric surgery can be an effective treatment for morbid obesity, reducing a patient's excess weight. In addition, the surgery also reduces the burden of co-morbidities, like diabetes and high blood pressure, and may extend a patient's life span," said Alexander McLawhorn, MD, MBA - orthopedic surgeon and lead article author. "What we didn't know was whether or not it is cost effective to recommend bariatric surgery to achieve weight loss and improve preoperative health prior to joint replacement."
Researchers analysed previously published data on obesity, bariatric surgery and total knee replacement (TKR) to compare the costs and outcomes of TKR on an obese patient without any weight loss prior to the knee surgery vs those that had TKR two years after bariatric surgery. The results showed the bariatric surgery group of TKR patients were more likely to enjoy improved quality-of-life vs those who had the TKR without prior weight loss surgery. Effectiveness of the TKR was found to be lower in people who did not have bariatric surgery prior to the procedure. For independent variables, results were stable across a broad range of values.
"We found that successful bariatric surgery performed two years before TKR could be a cost-effective treatment strategy for morbidly obese patients with end-stage arthritis," said Dr. McLawhorn. "While there remains some uncertainty in terms of the precise effects of bariatric surgery on knee osteoarthritis and total knee replacement, our model summarizes what is known about the clinical effects and costs of obesity, bariatric surgery and total knee replacement…The results of this study may help surgeons in counseling morbidly obese patients with knee osteoarthritis, and trying to come up with an individualized treatment plan that includes optimization of overall health, nutrition and weight prior to knee replacement”.

New Study: Very Low Energy Diets Beneficial in Long-Term Weight Loss

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posted by Admin User at 2016-02-08 13:15:00

According to a meta-analysis published in Obesity Reviews, very-low-energy diets (VLEDs) in addition to weight loss behavioral intervention programs are beneficial in long-term weight loss.

Helen M. Parretti, M.D., from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom, and colleagues reviewed the literature on VLEDs and behaviour change programs to examine the effects on weight loss. Data were included from randomized trials where the intervention included a VLED and the comparator was no intervention or an intervention that could be given in a general medical setting with overweight and obese adults.

Researchers compared two groups to discern the effect of VLEDs: One group underwent the behavioral program alone, while the other combined a VLED (800 calories or less) with the program. Results showed that the latter group achieved a weight loss of 3.9 kg more at one year, compared with the group that relied on the behavior intervention program by itself. After a 24 month period and at 38–60 months, the combined VLED and behavior change program group continued to maintain better weight loss. The drop off rate was nineteen percent for the combined group, and twenty percent for the behavioral change group alone.
One adverse event was reported in the VLED group, cholecystitis, which is an inflammation of the gallbladder. This group also saw mild and transient reactions to a low energy diet (fatigue, dizziness, and cold intolerance).

Also included in the study were randomized trials where the intervention included a VLED and the comparator was no intervention or an intervention that could be given to adults who were overweight in a general medical setting.
The authors of the review, published on Jan 18th, added, “Very-low-energy diets with behavioral programs achieve greater long-term weight loss than behavioral programs alone, appear tolerable and lead to few adverse events suggesting they could be more widely used than current guidelines suggest.”

Take home: Very low energy diets, such as those experienced by gastric bypass and gastric sleeve surgery patients, are safe, tolerable, and can contribute to sustained weight loss.

Community Information Seminar: Bariatric Surgery in Utica, NY

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posted by Admin User at 2016-02-08 08:31:00

Considering Bariatric Surgery? For yourself or for a loved one?

Learn more about how to best start your journey! Join the bariatric surgeons of William A. Graber MD, PC on the second Wednesday of every month at 6:00pm.

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