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gastric sleeve

New Study Finds Weight Loss Surgery Extends Lives

03/02/2023 by DrCurry

anatomy of gastric sleeve procedure

by Dr. Trace Curry, Cincinnati, Ohio

I remember when I did my first laparoscopic gastric bypass in 2003 at Wayne Hospital in Greenville, Ohio.  I was a general surgeon then, and I wanted to branch out and challenge myself with more advanced procedures.  Those were the very early days of laparoscopic weight loss surgery, and we were still fighting the bad rap of years of high complication rates from the same exact procedure being done with a huge 12 inch incision.  Originally, I had planned on weight loss surgery being just a small part of my general surgery practice, but when I saw how these procedures totally transformed my patients’ health with just a few tiny incisions, I quickly decided to dedicate my entire practice to this exciting field.  I could see a patient’s life expectancy improve right before my very eyes – in fact I once had a patient who was so obese and had such severe sleep apnea that he had to have a tracheostomy done (this was long before Thousand Pound Sisters).  When he came in for his 1 year post op check after his gastric bypass procedure, he proudly rode his bike right into my office, his trach tube long removed!

As a weight loss surgeon, the fact that weight loss surgery increases life expectancy is something that has been plainly obvious to me for the last 20 years.  Now, however, we have new data from a study spanning 40 years and including nearly 22,000 people that confirms this as fact!

These results were just published last Wednesday in the journal Obesity. It was a retrospective study out of Utah, meaning the researchers looked back at data from patients over past years. They looked at patients with and without weight loss surgery and matched patients for things such as age, sex, and BMI so they were comparing apples to apples. There were 21,837 matched surgery and non-surgery pairs and the follow up was up to a very impressive 40 years.  This study is important not only because of the large number of patients including such a large time span, but also because it involves data on American patients which may be more applicable to patients in my practice than if the data were taken from, say patients in Sweden or Africa.

Four procedures were examined (listed from most common to least common):

  • gastric bypass
  • gastric sleeve
  • gastric band
  • duodenal switch

The researchers found that patients who underwent one of these procedures were 16% less likely to die from any cause, 29% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease, 43% less likely to die from various cancers, and incredibly–72% less likely to die from diabetes!

There have been other large studies that support the data seen here, so I feel like it’s about time to shout it from the rooftops!  In the U.S., it’s estimated that only 2% of patients who qualify actually end up having weight loss surgery.  Some of this is related to lack of insurance coverage, and some to patients’ reluctance to seek out weight loss surgery.  Many patients are not even aware that, when they choose an insurance plan, it may exclude access to a surgical weight loss procedure which they qualify for medically.  Not because they don’t need it, but because language is written into their policy that says it’s not going to be covered, no matter how badly they need it.

Regardless of the reason, considering modern techniques, the complication rate for bariatric surgery procedures such as gastric bypass, gastric sleeve, Lap Band, and duodenal switch are miniscule compared to what they used to be 30 years ago.  This, given with the data we see from this study and others, should compel more insurance companies to provide coverage for these life-saving procedures and more patients to consider taking this step to be rid of the disease of obesity.

Trace Curry M.D.

 

Dr. Trace Curry is the medical director of JourneyLite Physicians and JourneyLite Surgery Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.  JourneyLite is a multi-specialty center that focuses on advanced outpatient laparoscopic weight loss surgery and incisionless weight loss procedures.  He has done over 7000 weight loss procedures in his career and is a key opinion leader in the field of surgical and incisionless weight loss.

Gastric Sleeve

vertical sleeve gastrectomy

Gastric Bypass

gastric bypass anatomy

SIPS

loop duodenal switch

Lap Band

lap band photo

Filed Under: Education Tagged With: duodenal switch, gastric band, gastric bypass, gastric sleeve, lap band, SADI, SIPS, weight loss surgery

GERD After Weight Loss Surgery

12/08/2021 by DrCurry Leave a Comment

Dr. James Augusta

By Dr. James Augusta

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (or GERD for short) is a common condition affecting overweight and obese patients. It is caused by irritation to the lining of the esophagus by gastric acid or bile. Many people have felt heartburn before, but GERD is a little different. 

Symptoms can include:

  • Heartburn
  • Chest pain
  • Difficulty swallowing or food getting “stuck”
  • Cough 
  • Pain felt behind your sternum or breast bone
  • Burning of the throat
  • Hot, sour or acidic taste in your mouth 

These symptoms may be worsened by certain types of food, alcohol, smoking, or even bending over or lying flat particularly after eating a meal. Many factors are involved with severity of GERD including weight, and the presence of a hiatal hernia. A hiatal hernia is located where the esophagus crosses the diaphragm to enter the abdomen.  When this opening becomes enlarged it distorts the normal anatomy and can lead to increased reflux symptoms. It can even cause some of the stomach to pull up into the chest.

hiatal hernia

In general, If hiatal hernias are moderate or large we will repair them during your weight loss surgery. If they are small sometimes they are best left alone as making the hiatus too tight can cause issues with swallowing meats and other hard foods. 

The two most common options at JourneyLite for weight loss surgery include the gastric sleeve and the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. 

In our experience following a gastric sleeve procedure:

  • Roughly 1/3 of patients will develop GERD or their GERD symptoms will worsen.
  • Roughly 1/3 get better because: 
    • weight loss in general can improve GERD or 
    • the patient had a hiatal hernia that we fixed during the sleeve (see below).
  • 1/3 have no change in their symptoms 

In contrast, the gastric bypass is actually an increasingly-common surgical treatment for severe GERD. This is because we divert 80-90% of the acid production away from the esophagus with the creation of a small gastric pouch at the top of the stomach. If you do happen to develop severe GERD symptoms after a sleeve gastrectomy (and we are unable to control it with medications), we can convert this to a gastric bypass.  In almost all cases this will resolve GERD symptoms, however this would require another surgical procedure and workup (including insurance approval if applicable). 

Another condition known as bile reflux can also cause GERD after a gastric sleeve. This is a condition where bile (produced by the liver) comes backwards into the stomach and potentially up the esophagus causing reflux symptoms. Most patients with pre-existing bile reflux will have worsening symptoms after a sleeve. The gastric bypass is also a surgical cure for bile reflux.

bile reflux gastritis

For patients with GERD symptoms an EGD (esophagogastroduodenoscopy-an endoscopic camera down the esophagus and stomach) can help you and your surgeon confirm which procedure is best for you. During your consultation, discuss your symptoms and your surgeon can decide if an EGD is warranted. Additionally, if you have already had an EGD done you can request the records be sent to our office for your surgeon to review. 

In summary, when considering which procedure is best for you, having a discussion with your surgeon about GERD symptoms is crucial to making the right choice.  An EGD can be a good starting point for the surgeon to give recommendations about procedure selection. If you’ve had an EGD done before, you can request the records to be faxed to our office at 513-559-1235. This may save you time and help get your procedure completed sooner. Sometimes it simply comes down to a tradeoff between a gastric bypass with a lower risk of post-op GERD, or gastric sleeve with a higher risk of GERD but a much lower overall long-term risk.

Filed Under: Education Tagged With: augusta, gastric sleeve, GERD

JourneyLite and Medtronic’s New Signia Smart Stapler

08/08/2019 by DrCurry 3 Comments

JourneyLite has adopted the use of Medtronic’s new Signia smart stapling system for our linear staple lines.  This high-tech new stapler uses Adaptive Firing™ technology, which gives the surgeon real-time feedback, measuring tissue thickness and adjusting firing speed based on the tissue’s thickness and variability.  This technology results in outstanding performance in variable tissue, leading to the formation of more perfect staple lines.

Watch Dr. Trace Curry, medical director at JourneyLite, perform a gastric sleeve using this new, state-of-the-art, stapling device!

Filed Under: Education Tagged With: gastric sleeve, signia smart stapler, trace curry

$1000 off self-pay gastric sleeve!

26/04/2019 by DrCurry 2 Comments

Explore Financing Options
vertical sleeve gastrectomy

Save $1000 on self-pay gastric sleeve procedures!

*Limited time offer, price subject to change without notice.

JourneyLite Surgery Center is a leading facility for surgical weight loss in the midwest.  Our surgeons have done thousands of gastric sleeve procedures and are proud of our ability to combine excellent care with affordable pricing for self-pay patients.  We are happy to announce that, for a limited time, we will be offering $1000 off of our already-low procedure price of $14,900.  That’s right, for just $13,900 your surgeon’s fee, anesthesia fee, and facility fee is covered, along with one year of post-op office care.  This price can’t be beat and will be for a limited time, so call us now or request a consultation!

Request Appointment Now!

Call us!

Cincinnati: (513) 559-1222
Dayton: (937) 280-LOSE
Columbus: (614) 526-4463
Northern KY: (859) 331-1035

Filed Under: Anouncements Tagged With: daily deal, gastric sleeve

Gastric Sleeve (VSG)

To learn more about gastric sleeve and other surgical options, click on “Meet Dr. Curry Online“!

Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy
Gastric Sleeve/Sleeve Gastrectomy/(VSG)

There are a couple of different names to describe this operation–vertical gastrectomy, sleeve gastrectomy, or vertical sleeve gastrecomy (VSG)–these are all describing the same type of surgery, which is a newer procedure being performed for weight loss. It is done with the laparoscopic technique, similar to the Lap Band and Lap Gastric bypass. It involves removing the portion of the stomach that functions mainly as a storage receptacle for food to make it much smaller, so it doesn’t take much food to make you feel full. This is similar in concept to the Lap Band System. Most studies show that the weight loss with a sleeve is slightly less than with a gastric bypass but slightly more than with a Lap Band. Also many studies show up to an 80% remission rate for Type II diabetes!

Read More

Other Surgical Options

SIPS

loop duodenal switch

Gastric Bypass

gastric bypass anatomy

Lap Band

lap band photo

Infosession

man looking at some information on his digital devices

Meet Dr. Curry online!

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navigating with a compass

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Weight loss surgery safer than previously thought

13/01/2014 by DrCurry Leave a Comment

164 Studies,
161,756 Patients
Over Nearly 10 Years:
What Does This Add Up To?

BARIATRIC AND METABOLIC SURGERY EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE THAN PREVIOUSLY REPORTED AND GETTING SAFER!

Click here for a link to the article about a recent publication in JAMA.

Dr. Curry

Filed Under: Anouncements Tagged With: bariatric surgery, gastric sleeve, lap band, weight loss surgery

New satellite office weight weight loss in Greater Cincinnati!

23/08/2012 by DrCurry 2 Comments

Location closed!

Please see us in Northern Kentucky at our Thomas More Parkway location!

CAST building
New location in Erlanger, Kentucky!

Announcing a new satellite clinic in Erlanger, Kentucky!

Beginning in October, we will be at the CAST building (652 Rodeo Drive, Erlanger, KY) every Tuesday!  This will be a full-service clinic where we have fluoroscopy for gastric band patients, as well as Adipex/Phentermine and Plenity consultations.  For those of you familiar with the location, it is right off of I-75 by the old Showcase Cinema.

Dr. Curry will be there, along with Kristen, Erin, Pam, and Jill!

Call 513-559-1222 or 859-331-1035 to schedule.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: adipex, gastric sleeve, lap band, phentermine, Weight loss

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