FORT BENNING, Ga., (March 11, 2015) -- More than one-third of American adults suffer from obesity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With the annual medical cost of the disease exceeding $100 billion nationwide, obesity has become a serious and costly epidemic.
Always at the cutting edge of medical care, Martin Army Community Hospital is preparing to launch a new bariatric and metabolic surgery service to provide a solution for active-duty Family members, retirees and veterans suffering from obesity and related health conditions.
"Being able to offer this service here is a tremendous benefit to our local beneficiaries," MACH general surgeon Maj. Jacqueline Moore said.
Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy will be available to patients with a body mass index greater than 35 and suffering from an obesity-related comorbidity such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes or other clinically significant conditions.
It is not just a weight loss surgery, Moore said; the procedure is intended to improve the health of patients whose ability to live a long, healthy lifestyle is impaired. In cases where obese patients have a serious comorbidity, surgery can often alleviate and sometimes cure those issues with weight loss and improved metabolism.
The surgery is minimally invasive and requires no major rerouting of anatomy, Moore said. "The sleeve" is achieved by surgically removing about 80 percent of the stomach. The remaining pouch is said to resemble a banana in shape. After about two days in the hospital, most patients are able to go home and usually resume normal activities within two weeks.
The procedure is extremely effective with a low risk of complications, Moore said.
"Just about everyone who has this surgery will lose at least 50 percent of their excess body weight," Moore said. "At one year, most people maintain at least 50 percent of their excess body weight loss. This is a very good, safe option."
Even better, five years out from the procedure, most people maintain 50 to 55 percent of their weight loss. To ensure the long-term success of every patient, a six-month assessment is required to address and deal with all factors of the disease such as activity and lifestyle issues.
"Unless we address all those issues that led to obesity, you're not going to be successful in the future," Moore said. "You'll lose weight, and then a year from now you're going to have it right back on again."
Patients who pass the screening process will be met by a dedicated bariatric surgery team, from pre-op to post op, to ensure the best possible outcome. The multidisciplinary pathway includes surgery, primary care medicine, nutrition education, occupational therapy and behavioral health.
Patients are typically monitored for up to three years after the procedure, Moore said. Initially, a rapid weight loss is experienced, followed by continued weight loss throughout the first year. Most people reach their peak weight loss - about where they will remain - at the end of 12 months.
Before considering bariatric and metabolic surgery, Moore recommends patients consider non-surgical weight loss options.
"Diet, exercise and lifestyle changes (are) always the first steps," she said. "We always encourage an attempt at non-surgical weight loss; however, we do know from multiple studies that most people who attempt to lose weight in that way will regain their weight. It will not be a long-term successful weight loss or they'll make multiple attempts at trying to lose weight.
"Yo-yo dieting can damage the metabolism. The body doesn't lose weight the same when you've been on multiple diets. Your metabolism is permanently altered. By doing surgical weight loss, we alter your metabolism in a way that allows you to safety and successfully lose weight over the long term."
The reason Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy works so well, Moore said, is because it modifies the metabolism by altering hormones and nutrition absorption capabilities. Patients still absorb nutrients - just not as much - so they feel full more quickly.
"Sleeve gastrectomy is rapidly emerging as the leading choice for the majority of patients who need surgical weight loss because of its safety and efficacy," Moore said.
MACH's bariatric and metabolic surgeons are board certified Fellows of the American College of Surgeons who have received specialized training in the Laparoscopic Sleeve technique.
For more information, visit www.asmbs.org or call 762-408-3565.
Social Sharing