 Dieting is big business in this
country. But for people who are
80 – 100 pounds overweight
or more, dieting alone or even diet
and exercise often fail to produce the
weight loss needed to reverse or prevent
potentially serious medical issues like
diabetes, heart disease, and sleep apnea.
For many, weight loss surgery, known
as bariatric surgery, may be the answer.
With the addition of bariatric
surgeon David Buchin, MD,
FACS, to its medical staff,
Huntington Hospital
now offers a comprehensive
range of weight
loss surgery options.
Dr. Buchin has
experience with a number
of different bariatric surgical
procedures, including the
sleeve gastrectomy, a relatively new
surgery that works by removing a large
portion of the stomach.
“In addition to restricting the
amount you can eat by making the
stomach smaller, this procedure limits
the amount of a hormone called ghrelin
that is secreted by the stomach,” said
Dr. Buchin. Ghrelin is responsible for
stimulating hunger, so reducing its
production helps control appetite.
Sleeve gastrectomy is considered less
invasive than gastric bypass surgery. In
the gastric by-pass procedure, part of the
stomach is detached from the main part
of the stomach and a portion of the small
intestine is attached to the smaller stomach.
With part of the stomach and
the small intestine bypassed,
the absorption of calories
is disrupted. Swift and
dramatic weight loss is
usually achieved with
this operation, which
may be done either as
an open procedure, or
laparoscopically through a
series of tiny incisions.
Another option offered by Dr. Buchin
is the adjustable gastric band procedure,
better known as the LapBand. With
this approach, Dr. Buchin inserts an
inflatable band around the stomach.
Following surgery, patients return to
his office periodically to have the band
tightened or loosened via a port that
remains under the skin. The LapBand
typically has slower weight loss than the
other procedures.
Dr. Buchin has found the sleeve gastrectomy
to be an effective procedure
that carries less of the risk of the gastric
bypass, while offering more dramatic
weight loss than the LapBand.
For all of its success, bariatric surgery
is not for everybody. Patients must meet
specific criteria to qualify. They must have
a body mass index of 40, which translates
to being approximately 100 pounds or
more overweight; or a body mass index
of 35 or greater along with one or more
major medical problems such as high
blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, or
sleep apnea. (Visit Dr. Buchin’s website
at www.liosurgery.com to calculate your
BMI on-line.)
Once Dr. Buchin determines that a
patient meets the criteria, an extensive
medical evaluation, cardiac or pulmonary
evaluations, endocrinology evaluations for
patients who are diabetic, and psychiatric
evaluations are performed to ensure that
patients are medically and emotionally
healthy enough to undergo the procedure
and the drastic lifestyle changes that accompany
major weight loss. A bi-monthly
pre-surgical class familiarizes prospective
patients with the range of issues they will
encounter before and after surgery.
To assist patients with implementing
lifestyle changes and adjusting to the social
implications following weight loss surgery,
support groups and nutritional counseling
are part of the post-bariatric surgery
experience. Specialized nursing care is in
place with a dedicated nursing coordinator,
Sophia McLeod, RN, in the office as well
as a dedicated nursing coordinator, Lisa
Becker, RN, in the hospital.
Huntington Hospital’s commitment to
making every patient’s surgical experience
optimal includes offering a “Prepare for
Surgery, Heal Faster” program. In this unique
hour-and-a-half workshop, patients learn to
use imagery, meditation, breath work, and
positive healing statements to lessen their
anxiety and help them achieve a quicker,
more pain-free recovery from surgery.
“For patients with weight-related health
issues like diabetes, bariatric surgery can
change their lives,” Dr. Buchin said. “For
example, the gastric bypass procedure
puts diabetes into remission almost immediately.
Almost 90 percent of patients
with sleep apnea are cured following a
bariatric procedure.”
Dr. Buchin’s website explains each procedure
in more detail and includes before
and after photographs of former patients.
Please visit www.liosurgery.com to learn
more, or call (631) 351-2024. //
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