Marcia's blog

It seems impossible–weight-loss surgery that leaves no scar…at least no scar that can be seen.

Existing laparoscopic surgical techniques have come close. Great advances in minimally invasive bariatric surgery have led to techniques for LAP-BAND and REALIZE gastric band surgery that are conducted through just 5 or 6 small incisions.

Most people are probably aware by now that obesity constitutes an epidemic health problem in the US and around the world—particularly the 11 million Americans who are considered “morbidly obese,” meaning they weigh from 80 to 100 pounds more than average.

If you or someone you know has been investigating the various options available these days for weight-loss surgery, you probably know that the two most common and popular procedures being used these days are the LAP-BAND and the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgeries.

Advances in weight-loss surgery techniques hold out increased hope for the many thousands of people who struggle every day with the health consequences of being overweight. Particularly encouraging is the trend toward the development of safer incisionless procedures.

Surgeon's New Website Offers Information on Weight Loss Options

Through a new information-rich website, prominent Dallas-based bariatric surgeon Dr. David Kim is contributing his personal expertise and resources to help severely overweight people learn more about the Realize and LAP-BAND adjustable gastric band procedures, and numerous other surgical options available to help them lose weight and regain health.

Weight-loss surgery techniques have made great progress since the early days, when as many as 50 percent of patients experienced complications and frequently needed repeat or “revisional” surgery after the initial procedure. But even with the strides that have been made in surgical methods, it’s still true that not all bariatric surgery leads to immediate or long-term success.

A Washington DC-area bariatric practice offers innovative educational and advanced technological options for gastric bypass patients

The decision to undergo weight-loss surgery is a complex one, involving many personal health and lifestyle considerations that need to be taken into account, as well as a growing array of surgical options to choose from.

Treatment options are multiplying for people who are severely overweight. Of course, there are always new miracle diets popping up, but for many people diet and exercise programs simply aren’t working to help them lose weight, regain the ability to move and function normally, and alleviate the health complications that obesity can cause. For people in this group, weight-loss surgery has gained a lot of acceptance as a potentially life-saving healthcare option.

After weight-loss surgery, your daily diet and indeed your whole relationship to food may need to undergo some dramatic changes. Learning how to cook and eat differently can be a real challenge. Even before weight-loss surgery many people have trouble fitting breakfast into their schedules—and the constraints of a post-bariatric diet regimen don’t make it any easier to provide a nourishing start for both yourself and your family in the few minutes you have together on a hectic school and workday morning.

In the past, gastric bypass has been regarded by many medical experts as the recommended standard, and it was by far the most frequently chosen procedure. In 2003, Roux-en-y gastric bypass accounted for 85% of all bariatric surgeries performed. In part this is because gastric bypass surgery has been available since the 1970s and thus has a more proven track record. It is also covered by most insurance companies as an effective treatment for morbid obesity. Laparoscopic band surgery, on the other hand, was only approved in the U.S.