Weight Loss Surgery Blog

For many teens suffering from morbid obesity, weight loss surgery can be a solution. Weight loss surgery is becoming more commonplace in among teenagers and adolescent youths as the population obesity rates continue to rise annually. (more…)

Recently, a large scale study has been concluded in the United Kingdom which has reported their findings that people who underwent weight-loss surgery see a huge reduction in type 2 diabetes and other weight related health problems. (more…)

The FDA approved the Lap-Band surgical weight loss device for patients with a BMI of at least 35, or a BMI greater than or equal to 30 and with at least one co-morbid medical condition, such as diabetes or hypertension. (more…)

Philadelphia Eagles Lineman Max Jean-Gilles

Bigger is not always better, even in pro football.  Just ask Philadelphia Eagles lineman Max Jean-Gilles.  Max has always been a big guy, even as a youth he was uncommonly large. However, his size allowed him to excel in football since he was quick on his feet as well.   (more…)

Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy

Recently, surgeons performed a new minimally invasive weight loss procedure through the mouth of the patient.  This is the first time that bariatric surgeons have used this type of technique.  A medical team at USC, San Diego Medical Center operated , performing a vertical sleeve gastrectomy on a woman through the mouth.  They successfully removed 80% of the stomach without modifying the natural flow of the intestinal tract.  This has shown to be successful in helping patients lose the majority of their excess weight. (more…)

Puget Sound Surgical Center is pleased to be offering a new State-of-the-Art weight loss surgery program. This program extends to all parts of the United States, North America and internationally. (more…)

A new agreement with the Canadian Health Care system will allow Canadians to cross the boarder into the United States and have weight loss surgery performed. Canada is ill-equipped to handle bariatric weight loss surgery compared to the US. It will also help decrease the amount of time it takes for a Canadian patient to receive treatment. Currently, Canadians waiting to receive weight loss surgery are on a five year waiting list.

Mark Corrales hadn’t been able to tie his own shoes in 15 years. He suffered from obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, severe gout and degenerative joint disease. Add to that a case of GERD and borderline diabetes, and you have a picture of Mark’s physical health: uncomfortable, unhealthy and definitely un-Mark.

Gastric bypass surgery at Puget Sound Surgical Center helped Mark lose 213 pounds and improve his overall health. “The weight loss tool that was given to me changed my life,” he wrote in a testimonial for the center.

Mark’s treatment went beyond the surgery. “They connected me with an excellent nutritionist and people who were able to relate to my needs and cravings,” he said. “I started to eat things that were healthier, and surprisingly, I enjoyed them! I couldn’t believe it!”

Today, he participates in a fitness center cycling program and enjoys hiking. He has received promotions at work and more doors are open to him because he’s taking more challenges.

Mark’s success story revolves around a comprehensive program Puget Sound Surgical Center has set into place. The program begins before the patient’s bariatric surgery and continues one to two years after the surgery. “We don’t want to give a patient new surgery and a new chance of life, then simply send him on his way,” Torie McIntyre, public relations coordinator, explained. “We want to give our patients support for mind, body and spirit.”

That support comes in the form of nutrition therapy, an exercise program, counseling services and support groups that provide interaction with the other weight-loss patients. Puget Sound Surgical Center specializes in minimally invasive bariatric surgery including Lap-Band and Lap Sleeve surgery. The center also provides the latest in aesthetic cosmetic procedures such as SmartLipo, which tightens skin and eliminates fat using laser liposuction technology.

Upcoming surgical weight-loss seminars are scheduled for November 18th in Bellingham and December 10th in Edmonds. For details, contact Torie at the surgical center. She can guide you to educational information, help you sign up for a seminar and introduce you to staff specialists who will influence your success in building a healthier new you.

CNN – Reports on the controversy regarding the need for medical insurance to pay for weight loss surgery procedures for the morbidly obese. The debate arrises from the notion that a person’s obesity is a result of personal responsibility and not any known naturally occurring medical condition. However, medical insurance companies do not deny medical treatment due to lung cancer if the person was a chronic smoker all their life.

By reimbursing for weight loss surgery, overall health care cost would be reduced significantly since surgery patients would be less likely to obtain a secondary diseases like high blood pressure, stoke, heart attack, edema and diabetes once the weight comes off.

Most experts believe that there would be a national reduction of health care costs since less money would be spent on treating morbid obesity related diseases which in turn would also help to reduce insurance premiums.

CNN – Reports of a new procedure called Transoral Gastroplasty or TOGA. This experimental new minimally invasive surgery is incision free and performed entirely through the mouth. It involves inserting a tube like apparatus through the mouth down the esophagus that staples the stomach to form a thumb-sized tube that holds only a small amount of food.

What makes the TOGA procedure so unique is that no incisions are required to perform this surgery. Transoral gastroplasty is part of a new generation of surgery that uses natural orifices, like the mouth, anus or vagina to perform surgery instead of cutting through the skin.

Over the past 3 years more than 100 people in Europe and Mexico have had the TOGA procedure performed with an average weight loss of 40 percent of their excess body fat after one year post operative.

The TOGA system for transoral gastroplasty is being developed by Satiety, Inc, a medical device company based in Palo Alto, California. The company is now conducting clinical trials and is hoping for FDA approval in the near future.