The Center for Minimally Invasive Obesity
Surgery
For some severely obese people, gastric
restrictive surgery may offer the
best long-term solution. This procedure
reduces the functional capacity of
the stomach. Gastric
Bypass surgery is the primary
surgical procedure done at the Obesity
Consultation Center.
An alternative procedure
that is enjoying a lot of success
is called the Lap
Band. We were the first in
New England to try using this new
device (see The
Boston Globe article). The
Lap-Band is a silicone strip that
looks and feels something like a
flea collar and creates a bottleneck
near the top of the stomach that
will make it hard for a patient
to overeat. It is adjustable and
it is reversible.
The surgery unit of the OCC is one of the few obesity
treatment programs in New England which uses minimally invasive
techniques during surgery. Virtually all obesity surgeries
are done laparoscopically. Our surgeons' main focus is this
surgery, and because of their considerable experience, the
procedure is routinely performed in about half the time
required by most other hospitals. This leads to faster recovery
and greater patient comfort.
Laparoscopic surgery, better known for procedures
such as gallbladder removal, involves performing major surgery
through several very small incisions of one inch or less.
When healed, these incisions often are near invisible.
 Tufts-New
England Medical Center has the most advanced laparoscopic
operating suites in the United States (installed in October
of 2002). Known as EndoSuites, they are truly state-of-the-art.
They are wired with multiple screens and tools for optimal
visualization. They are so efficient to work in, it helps
decrease the operating time.
Minimally invasive surgery has many benefits including
less wound discomfort, quicker recovery from surgery, lower
risk of wound infections, and better cosmetic results. Of
course, patients also enjoy a shorter overall recovery with
less time in the hospital and a quicker return to work or
a regular routine.
Surgery Eligibility Criteria
The Obesity Consult Center uses some
of the same indicators as the National
Institutes of Health. You may
be a candidate for surgery if:
- you have tried and failed with
dieting in other organized programs
- your Body Mass Index (BMI ) is
40 or greater ( More on this below).
- your BMI is between 35 and 40
and you have some of the following
health problems:
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Sleep apnea
- High cholesterol
- If you are more than 100 lbs over "ideal" weight
.
- If you are between 18 and 65 years
of age .
- If you have an absence of severe
emotional or medical illness which
would make surgery unnecessarily
risky.
- If you have been drug or alcohol
dependent, you must be well into
an effective treatment program with
at least two years of sobriety.
These are only suggested standards.
We also require an individual psychological
and behavioral evaluation with one
of our therapists. The results
of this evaluation, along with other
medical, nutritional and behavioral
information is then evaluated by the
full clinical team before a decision
is made regarding acceptance into
the program.
For more detailed information on
the Gastric
Bypass click here.
For more detailed information on
the Lap-Band
surgery, click here.
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