Clinical Developments and Metabolic Insights in Total Bariatric Patient CareVolume 10, Number 5 May 2013
A P e e r - R e v i e w e d P u b l i c a t i o n
Inside
EDITORIAL MESSAGE ....................3
EDITORIAL BOARD ........................4
SURGICAL PEARLS
Vertical-banded Gastroplasty toRoux-en-Y Gastric Bypass withRemnant Gastrectomy .................8
ASK THE LEADERSHIP
The Cost-Effectiveness ofBariatric Surgery .......................10
JOURNAL WATCH ........................12
CHECKLISTS IN BARIATRIC
SURGERY
Gastro-gastric Fistula after Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass...................13
NEWS AND TRENDS ....................16
ED MASON AT LARGE
The Mechanics of SleeveGastrectomy...............................20
ANESTHETIC ASPECTS OF
BARIATRIC SURGERY
Intraoperative Fluid Assessmentin Patients with Obesity.............26
INTERVIEW
Countdown to Obesity Week 2013:Interview #5: Daniel Herron, MD, FACS ............28
CALENDAR OF EVENTS................30
MARKETPLACE ...........................30
AD INDEX....................................31
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KS: Dr. Moorehead, please tellus about your history andposition at JFK Medical Center.
MM: First, thank you for your
service to the American Society for
Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
(ASMBS) and for the opportunity to
share our program’s integrated
healthcare approach to bariatric
surgery with the readership of
Bariatric Times.
After I joined JFK’s hospital-based
program, we applied, were properly
surveyed, and became a Centers of
Excellence program. Soon after, I
applied to become board certified by
the American Board of Professional
Psychology (ABPP), the oldest
credentialing body for psychology in
North America, in the specialty field
of Clinical Health Psychology. I felt
strongly that while working in
integrated healthcare with the
surgical members, board certification
was a must. I would encourage
colleagues, who are licensed
psychologists and providing services
to the bariatric patient population, to
seek board certification with ABPP
as well by visiting www.abpp.org.
KS: Please walk us through thetypical process a bariatricsurgery candidate goes throughat your center.
MM: Once bariatric surgery
candidates at the center have an
initial consult with the surgeon, they
are scheduled with both the
psychology and nutrition
departments. I initially see bariatric
candidates in the preoperative
period for a psycho-educational
behavioral health interview and
screening.
Continued on Page 22
HOT TOPICS IN INTEGRATED HEALTH
Page 14
Stepping on the scale in the
bariatric clinic at Beth Israel
Deaconess Medical Center in
Boston, Massachusetts, used to be
an all-encompassing experience as
patients nervously anticipated
what the all-important number
would register.
Sighs of relief, smiles of joy,
self-deprecating comments, and
giggles of happiness are only a few
observations made during my
seven years of working as a
registered nurse in the bariatric
clinic.
Witnessing the scale
registering a significant 100-pound
weight loss in eight months or four
pounds in one week is not
uncommon in the early stages
following weight loss surgery.
Patients are most often very
pleased with these results. But as
patients’ eyes lower to the
important number on the scale in
the latter months, when weight
loss is not as drastic, patients
sometimes appear frightened,
puzzled, or, at worst, discouraged.
COMMENTARY
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Patients Sew
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THIS MONTH:
INTEGRATED HEALTHCARE AT JFK
MEDICAL CENTER BARIATRIC WELLNESS
AND SURGICAL INSTITUTE:
A Best-Practice Model
An interview with Melodie K. Moorehead, PhD, ABPP
Column Editor and Interviewer: Karen Schulz, RN, APNPresident of the Integrated Health Section of the ASMBS; Clinical
Nurse Specialist, University Hospitals of Cleveland, Cleveland, Ohio
Editorial Message 3Bariatric Times • May 2013
Dear readers of Bariatric Times:
I just returned from Baltimore,
Maryland, after attending the annual
meeting of the Society of American
Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic
Surgeons (SAGES). My congratulations
to SAGES President Dr. Scott Melvin for
an outstanding year as leader and to
program directors Drs. Fred Brody and
Santiago Horgan for an exciting and
perfectly executed academic program.
For me, the highlight of the meeting was
the luncheon hosted by the Fellowship
Council that was attended by the
leadership of the Accreditation Council
for Graduate Medical Education
(ACGME) and the American Board of
Surgery (ABS). If I may summarize my
opinion about this meal, “I left the table
with a bitter-sweet taste in my mouth.”
The great news is that the ABS has
acknowledged the outstanding job being
done by the non-ACGME fellowship
programs endorsed by organizations,
including SAGES, the American Society
for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
(ASMBS), Society for Surgery of the
Alimentary Tract (SSAT), American
Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons
(ASCRS), and International Hepato-
pancreato-biliary Association (HPBA), on
programs in hepatobiliary, bariatric,
minimally invasive, and colorectal
surgeries that help prepare residents to
practice surgery. The sad news, however,
came from our industry partners who,
understandably due to the current
financial crisis and the unpredictable
adjustments to be made with the
upcoming healthcare reform, were forced
to significantly reduce their support to
the Foundation for Surgical Fellowships.
To further illustrate the magnitude of this
problem, if a company that produces
disposable equipment has an estimated
annual growth of four percent, the taxes
on their products will increase by 2.4
percent. It is obvious that adjustments
have to be made. So, what will happen
with non-ACGME accredited fellowships?
Will they disappear or perhaps just
become smaller? Who will pay for
postgraduate surgical education? If our
leaders at the ABS are telling us that a
Fellowship Council certified training
program is “vital” for a general surgery
resident to prepare for prime time, it is
unreasonable or impossible to reduce or
eliminate this training experience. It is
rumored that some are contemplating
prolonging the number of years required
as a surgical resident (according to the
Fellowship Council Survey presented this
year by Dr. Samer Mattar at the American
Surgical Association meeting) from 5 to 6
years, while others would rather keep the
training model the way it is and have
residents spend more time during their
chief year on the specialty they have
chosen.
Surgical education is in crisis and
there is obviously no easy solution to this
problem. Hopefully (though unlikely), the
United States government, hospitals,
providers, and we surgeons will step up
to the plate and financially support this
critical time of surgical education. In
addition, residencies will have to be re-
engineered so that after three years of
basic general surgery training, young
doctors can move on to their specialties,
such as colorectal, bariatrics, and acute
care.
Recalling my “three-in-three training,”
three general surgery residencies in three
different continents—South America,
Europe, and the United States—I
remember my time in Argentina where
we had to do post-residency training for
free or work for a certain amount of years
under the supervision of an expert before
we could sit for a subspecialty exam. In
Germany, the system was different. You
could estimate that after six years of
general surgery training, which included
two years of orthopedics, neurosurgery,
and other specialties, you would be board
eligible or board certified (if you were
lucky), and after that you would spend
two additional years doing a subspecialty.
The difference was that during residency,
the salary was one of a junior attending.
That allowed the chief to keep you
waiting for 7 or 8 years in training (and
even longer if he or she didn’t like you)
before you were board eligible . But
Germany has changed and they adopted
the three-in-three training model as I
mentioned previously.
The situation of surgical education is
delicate and critical. I encourage all
alumni from the Fellowship Council who
now hold positions as attending surgeons
to contribute to the Foundation for
Surgical Fellowships and get involved so
that we can maintain the funding for the
non-ACGME training programs. The
Fellowship Council voted unanimously
that, for the time being, the number of
funded fellowships will stay the same, but
the amount of funding made available will
have to significantly decrease.
I hope you enjoy this issue of
Bariatric Times, which is terrific.
Sincerely,
Raul J. Rosenthal, MD, FACS
Editor, Bariatric Times
Raul J. Rosenthal, MD, FACS, Clinical Editor,
Bariatric Times, Professor of Surgery and
Chairman, Department of General Surgery;
Director, The Bariatric and Metabolic Institute;
Director, General Surgery Residency Program
and Fellowship in Minimally Invasive and
Bariatric Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Florida,
Weston, Florida
Surgical Education is
in Crisis: Call for All
Alumni to Get Involved,
Contribute to the
Foundation for
Surgical Fellowships
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4Bariatric Times • May 2013
Editorial Board
Editorial Advisory BoardCLINICAL EDITOR
Raul J. Rosenthal, MD, FACSProfessor of Surgery and Chairman, Department of General Surgery; Director,The Bariatric and Metabolic Institute;Director, General Surgery ResidencyProgram and Fellowship in MinimallyInvasive and Bariatric Surgery, ClevelandClinic Florida—Weston, Fort Lauderdale,Florida
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
Ahmed R. Ahmed, BSc(Hons),FRCS(Gen)Consultant Upper GI and Bariatric Surgeon,Charing Cross Hospital, London, UnitedKingdom
Peter Benotti, MD, FACSSt. Francis Medical CenterTrenton, New Jersey
Marc Bessler, MDSurgical Director, New York-PresbyterianHospital Center for Obesity Surgery,Columbia University College of Physiciansand Surgeons, New York, New York
Robin Blackstone, MD, FACS Associate Clinical Professor of Surgery,University of Arizona School of Medicine-Phoenix; Medical Director, ScottsdaleHealthcare Bariatric Center, Scottsdale,Arizona, .ASMBS, Past-President
Laura Boyer, RN, CBN Director of Clinical Systems,The SurgicalSpecialists of Louisiana; The SurgicalSpecialists of Mississippi, Covington,Louisiana
Jay B. Brodsky, MDProfessor (Anesthesia), Medical Director—Perioperative Services, Stanford UniversityMedical Center, Stanford, California
Rafael F. Capella, MD, FACSClinical Assistant Professor of Surgery, NewJersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey
Ricardo Cohen, MDThe Center of Excellence for the SurgicalTreatment of Obesity and MetabolicDisorders- Oswaldo Cruz Hospital, SãoPaulo, Brazil
Lillian Craggs-Dino, MS, RD, LD/NBariatric and Metabolic Institute SupportGroup Coordinator, Cleveland ClinicFlorida
Eric J. DeMaria, MDNew Hope Wellness Center, Raleigh, NorthCarolina
Terrence M. Fullum, MD, FACSAssociate Professor of Surgery, HowardUniversity College of Medicine, Chief,Division of General Surgery, Chief, Divisionof Minimally Invasive and BariatricSurgery, Director, Howard University Centerfor Wellness and Weight Loss Surgery,Howard University Hospital, Washington,District of Columbia
Michel Gagner, MD, FRCSC, FACS,FASMBS, FICS, AFC (Hon.)Clinical Professor of Surgery; Chief,Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery, HamadGeneral Hospital, Doha, Qatar.
Susan Gallagher Camden, RN, MSN,MA, CWOCN, PhDHouston, Texas
Manoel Galvao Neto, MDGastro Obeso Center, São Paulo, Brazil
Alex Gandsas, MD, MBA, FACSProfessor and Chair, Department of Surgery,UMDNJ-SOM, Stratford, New Jersey
Liz Goldenberg, MPH, RDNutritionist, Weill Medical College of CornellUniversity; New York Presbyterian Hospital,New York, New York
Karen B. Grothe, PhD, ABPP, LP Assistant Professor of Psychology; ProgramDirector, Obesity Program; SpecialtyDirector, Clinical Health PsychologyFellowship; Mayo Clinic, Department ofPsychiatry and Psychology, Rochester,Minnesota
Giselle G. Hamad, MD, FACSAssistant Professor of Surgery, University ofPittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Leslie J. Heinberg, PhDProfessor, Cleveland Clinic Lerner Collegeof Medicine, BMI Director of BehavioralServices, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland,Ohio
Kelvin Higa, MD, FACSClinical Professor in Surgery, UCSF-FRES-NO, Director, Bariatric and MinimallyInvasive Surgery, Fresno, California
Matthew M. Hutter, MD, MPHGeneral and Laparoscopic Surgery,Department of Surgery; Director, CodmanCenter for Clinical Effectiveness In Surgery,Massachusetts General Hospital WeightCenter, Massachusetts General Hospital,Boston, Massachusetts
Sayeed Ikramuddin, MD, FACSUniversity of Minnesota, Department ofSurgery, University of Minnesota MedicalSchool, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Thomas H. Inge, MD, PhD, FACS, FAAPProfessor of Surgery and Pediatrics,Surgical Weight Loss Program for Teens,Division of Pediatric General and ThoracicSurgery, Cincinnati Children’s HospitalMedical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
Daniel B. Jones, MD, FACSChief, Section of Minimally InvasiveSurgery, Beth Israel Deaconess MedicalCenter; Professor, Harvard Medical School,Boston, Massachusetts
Stephanie B. Jones, MDAssociate Professor, Harvard Medical School;Vice Chair for Education and ResidencyProgram; Director, Department ofAnesthesia, Critical Care and PainMedicine, Beth Israel Deaconess MedicalCenter, Boston, Massachusetts
Gregg H. Jossart, MD, FACSDirector, Minimally Invasive Surgery,California Pacific Medical Center, SanFrancisco, California
Kazunori Kasama, MDDirector, Department of Weight LossSurgery, Minimally Invasive SurgeryCenter, Yotsuya Medical Cube, Tokyo Japan
Marina S. Kurian, MDMedical Director, Department of Surgery,Bariatric Division at New York University(NYU) Langone Medical Center, New York,New York
Edward Lin, DO, FACSDirector, Emory Endosurgery Unit, EmoryUniversity School of Medicine, Atlanta,Georgia
Emanuele Lo Menzo, MD, PhD, FACS,FASMBS Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery,The Bariatric and Metabolic Institute,Cleveland Clinic Florida
David Mahony, PhD, ABPPSenior Psychologist, Industrial MedicineAssociates, Tarrytown, New York; Director ofBehavioral Healthcare AssessmentInstruments, Obesity Prevention, Policy andManagement, Chantilly, Virginia
Tracy Martinez, RN, BSN, CBNProgram Director, Wittgrove BariatricCenter, La Jolla, California
Samer G. Mattar, MD, FACS, FRCS,FASMBSAssociate Professor Surgery, IndianaUniversity; Medical Director, IU HealthBariatric & Medical Weight Loss; Director,Indiana University Advanced LaparoscopicFellowship Program, Indianapolis, Indiana
Amir Mehran, MDDirector of Bariatric Surgery; AssociateClinical Professor of Surgery, UCLADepartment of Surgery, Los Angeles,California
Joseph Michaels V, MDPlastic Surgeon, Private Practice, NorthBethesda, Maryland
Marc P. Michalsky, MD, FACS, FAAP Associate Professor of Clinical Surgery;Surgical Director, Center for Healthy Weightand Nutrition, Nationwide Children’sHospital, The Ohio State University Collegeof Medicine, Department of PediatricSurgery, Columbus, Ohio
Karl Miller, MD, FACSAssociate Professor of Surgery, Head of theSurgical Department, Hallein Clinic,Hallein, Austria
Melodie K. Moorehead, PhD, ABPPBoard Certified in Clinical HealthPsychology, JFK Medical Center; BariatricWellness and Surgical Institute, Atlantis,Florida
John Morton, MD, MPH, FACSAssociate Professor of Surgery; SectionChief, Minimally Invasive Surgery; Directorof Quality, Surgery and Surgical Sub-Specialties; Director of Bariatric Surgery,Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford,California
Michel M. Murr, MD, FACSDirector of Bariatric Surgery, University ofSouth Florida College of Medicine, TampaGeneral Hospital, Tampa, Florida
Martin I. Newman, MD, FACSDepartment of Plastic Surgery, AssociateProgram Director, Education Director,Weston, Diplomate American Board ofSurgery, Diplomate American Board ofPlastic Surgery Weston, Florida
Ninh T. Nguyen, MDProfessor of Surgery, Chief, Division ofGastrointestinal Surgery, University ofCalifornia Irvine Medical Center, Irvine,California
Jürgen Ordemann, MD, PhDAssistant Professor of Surgery, Chief, Unit ofBariatric Surgery, Department of General,Visceral, Vascular and Thoracic Surgery,Charité, University Medicine Berlin,Germany
Edward Phillips, MD, FACSDirector, Center for Minimally InvasiveSurgery, Director of Endoscopic Surgery,Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles,California
Harry Pino, PhDDirector of Clinical Exercise PhysiologyProgram, RecoverHealth Center, New York,New York
Alfons Pomp, MD, FACS, FRCSCLeon C. Hirsch Professor; Vice Chairman,Department of Surgery; Chief, Section ofLaparoscopic and Bariatric Surgery; WeillMedical College of Cornell University; NewYork Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NewYork
Jaime Ponce, MD, FACSMedical Director, Bariatric SurgeryProgram, Hamilton Medical Center, Dalton,Georgia and Memorial Hospital,Chattanooga, Tennessee; ASMBS President;Chair, ASMBS Insurance Committee; Vice-President, ASMBS Tennessee State Chapter
Walter J. Pories, MD, FACSProfessor of Surgery, Biochemistry, Sportand Exercise Medicine, Director, BariatricSurgery Research Program, Brody School ofMedicine, East Carolina University
Craig B. Primack MD, FAAPMedical Bariatrician/Certified MedicalObesity Specialist/Co-Medical Director,Scottsdale Weight Loss Center PLLC,Scottsdale, Arizona
David A. Provost, MDProvost Bariatrics, Denton, Texas
Aurora D. Pryor, MD Professor of Surgery, Chief of GeneralSurgery, Laparoscopic, Bariatric, andGeneral Surgery, Stony Brook UniversityMedical Center, Stony Brook, New York
Almino C. Ramos, MDGastro Obeso Center, São Paulo, Brazil
Christine Ren-Fielding, MD Associate Professor of Surgery, NYU Schoolof Medicine, Director, NYU Langone WeightManagement Program, New York, New York
Alan A. Saber, MD, FACSAssociate Professor, Department of Surgery,Comprehensive Metabolic and BariatricTreatment Center, Case Western ReserveUniversity School of Medicine, Cleveland,Ohio
Michael G. Sarr, MDProfessor of Surgery, Division ofGastroenterologic and General Surgery,Gastrointestinal Research Unit (GU 10-01),Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
David B. Sarwer, PhDAssociate Professor of Psychology,Departments of Psychiatry and Surgery,Director of Clinical Services, Center forWeight and Eating Disorders, PerelmanSchool of Medicine at the University ofPennsylvania, Philadelphia,Pennsylvania
Wendy Scinta, MD, MS, FAAFPMedical Director, Medical Weight Loss of NY,BOUNCE Program for Childhood Obesity,Fayetteville, New York; Clinical AssistantProfessor of Family Medicine, UpstateMedical University, Syracuse, New York
Michael Schweitzer, MD, FACSAssociate Professor of Surgery, JohnsHopkins University School of Medicine,Director of Minimally Invasive BariatricSurgery, Baltimore, Maryland
Shashank Shah, MBBS, MS, FAIS,FMAS (hon)Director, Department of Laparoscopic andBariatric Surgery-Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune,and Dr. L.H. Hiranandani Hospital,Mumbai, Maharastra, India
Edward Shang, MDProfessor of Surgery, Head of BariatricSurgery, Universityhospital Leipzig,Germany
Michele A. Shermak, MDThe Plastic Surgery Center of Maryland,Lutherville, Maryland
Scott Shikora, MDDirector, Bariatric Surgery, Brigham andWomen’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
Christopher D. Still, DO, FACN, FACPDirector, Center for Nutrition and WeightManagement, Geisinger Health System,Danville, Pennsylvania
Prof. Dr. Michel SuterChief Surgeon, Hôpital du Chablais,Switzerland; Responsible surgeon forbariatric surgery, Department of VisceralSurgery, Lausanne, Switzerland
Samuel Szomstein, MD, FACSAssociate Director Bariatric and MetabolicInstitute and Division of MIS, DirectorBariatric Endoscopy, Cleveland ClinicFlorida; Clinical Assistant Professor ofSurgery, NOVA Southeastern University,Weston, Florida
Antonio J. Torres MD, PhD, FACS,FASMBSProfessor of Surgery, Hospital Clinico SanCarlos, Complutense University of Madrid,Spain
Olga Tucker, MD, FRCSIAcademic Department of Surgery, TheQueen Elizabeth Hospital, Edgbaston,Birmingham, United Kingdom
Andrew Ukleja, MD, AGAF, CNSPAssistant Professor of Medicine, FloridaAtlantic University, Boca Raton; Departmentof Gastroenterology, Cleveland ClinicFlorida, Weston, Florida
Rudolf A. Weiner, MDProfessor of Surgery, Frankfurt JohannWolfgang Goethe University, Head of theDepartement of Surgery of the FrankfurtSachsenhausen Hospital, Center ForBariatric Surgery, Center for MinimallySurgery, Frankfort, Germany
Noel N. Williams, MD, MCh, FRCSI,FRCSDirector of Bariatric Program, Departmentof Surgery, University of Pennsylvania,Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Natan Zundel, MD, FACSClinical Professor of Surgery, FloridaInternational University College ofMedicine, Miami, Florida
6Bariatric Times • May 2013
Table of Contents May 2013 • Volume 10 • Number 5
EDITORIAL MESSAGE ...........................................................................................................................................3
EDITORIAL BOARD................................................................................................................................................4
SURGICAL PEARLS: TECHNIQUES IN BARIATRIC SURGERY.....................................................................................8
Vertical-banded Gastroplasty to Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass with Remnant Gastrectomy
by Kelvin Higa, MD, FACS
ASK THE LEADERSHIP WITH RAUL J. ROSENTHAL, MD, FACS, FASMBS................................................................10
The Cost-Effectiveness of Bariatric Surgery
This month: An Interview with John M. Morton, MD, MPH, FACS, FASMBS, and Bruce M. Wolfe, MD
JOURNAL WATCH ...............................................................................................................................................12
CHECKLISTS IN BARIATRIC SURGERY .................................................................................................................13
Gastro-gastric Fistula after Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass
by Raul J. Rosenthal, MD, FACS, FASMBS; Samuel Szomstein, MD, FACS, FASMBS;
and Emanuele Lo Menzo, MD, PhD, FACS, FASMBS
COMMENTARY ....................................................................................................................................................14
Bariatric Patients Sew Success with Inspirational Quilt
by Linda Trainor, RN, BSN
NEWS AND TRENDS............................................................................................................................................16
ED MASON AT LARGE .........................................................................................................................................20
The Mechanics of Sleeve Gastrectomy
HOT TOPICS IN INTEGRATED HEALTH ..................................................................................................................22
Integrated Healthcare at JFK Medical Center Bariatric Wellness and Surgical Institute:
A Best-Practice Model
An interview with Melodie K. Moorehead, PhD, ABPP
ANESTHETIC ASPECTS OF BARIATRIC SURGERY ..................................................................................................26
Intraoperative Fluid Assessment in Patients with Obesity
by Konstantin Balonov, MD
INTERVIEW.........................................................................................................................................................28
COUNTDOWN TO OBESITY WEEK 2013:
An Interview with Dr. Daniel Herron, MD, FACS
CALENDAR OF EVENTS .......................................................................................................................................30
MARKETPLACE CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING ..........................................................................................................30
ADVERTISER INDEX ............................................................................................................................................31
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8 Surgical Pearls Bariatric Times • May 2013
INTRODUCTIONThe vertical-banded gastroplasty
(VBG) is of historic importance.1 Its
development was one of observational
science attempting to purely “restrict”
caloric intake and was highly effective
in the short run. Less technically
challenging and safer than the early
gastric bypass, its popularity reigned in
the late 1980s. Unfortunately, this
operation failed to achieve long-term
weight maintenance due to lack of
satiety; many patients changed their
eating habits to include more easily
tolerated liquid calories and avoided
protein food sources for fear of
gastroesophageal reflux disease
(GERD) and regurgitation. Nondivided
staple lines were prone to breakdown
and the banded outflow tract was
associated with late-onset stenosis, not
amenable to endoscopic dilation.
Although not formally retired, few
centers are still performing this
operation. Because of its former
popularity, many patients are now
seeking help for weight recidivism,
inadequate weight loss, GERD, chronic
vomiting, pain, or a combination of the
above. Fortunately, conversion to
gastric bypass has been very successful
in correcting most of the complications
of this procedure, adding significantly
to the patient’s quality of life. Although
reports of conversion to adjustable
gastric banding and vertical sleeve
gastrectomy have been disappointing,
results of conversion to gastric bypass
are nearly as good as a primary
operation. However, overall operative
risks are significantly higher.2–5
Here, I describe my technical pearls
for conversion of VGB to RYGB. This
can be done open, but it is preferable to
refer the patient to a center that can
perform this operation laparoscopically,
which should be the standard approach.
It is of interest how several groups have
described this approach independent of
collaboration.6,7 This approach is not at
all intuitive, but after trying many other
methods, I have found this is the safest
and most effective means of conversion,
without compromise to the gastric
pouch construction common to re-
operative surgery.
It is irrelevant whether the vertical
staple line has broken down or if the
band used is silastic or marlex. In every
case, the pouch created is too large by
today’s standards, so by definition, a
new pouch must be created within the
confines of the previous pouch.
Thoughts of leaving behind previous
staple lines and prosthetic material
hinder one’s ability to accurately define
the residual anatomy and to preserve
the vascular supply to the new pouch,
often leading to increased risk of leaks
or compromising long-term results.
SURGICAL TECHNIQUEAs most VGB procedures have been
done through midline incisions, it is
prudent to place the first trocar
laterally, in anticipation of taking down
the omental adhesions to the incision.
Once these are freed, other trocars can
be placed appropriate to the particular
method of gastric bypass of which the
surgeon is most comfortable. For
revision surgery, it is important to
consider a manual or hand-sutured
anastomosis because of the discrepancy
of thickness of scar and other tissues
encountered.
There is usually an intense reaction
at the site of the prosthesis to the
undersurface of the left lobe of the liver.
It is more intense with marlex bands;
less so with silastic. In the past, some
surgeons have tried to interpose
omentum at this level, making
visualization even more difficult.
Staying in the correct plane of tissue to
avoid unnecessary bleeding from the
liver or serosal injury to the stomach is
key to a successful dissection. A most
important landmark is the caudate lobe
of the liver, which, once identified, is
the pathway to the lesser omentum and
then, the right crus of the diaphragm.
In all cases, the hiatus must be
identified and the esophagus mobilized
in order to correctly identify the
esophagogastric (EG) junction and
delineate the vertical staple line.
Fortunately, there will be a significant
hiatal hernia almost always present,
which helps, as this will be virgin
territory—no adhesions.
After the hiatus has been dissected
(Figure 1), the operation is
straightforward. The stomach is
transected below the previous staple
lines and prosthesis (Figure 2). (There
is no reason to preserve the fundus;
attempts to do so will compromise
formation of the gastric pouch.) The
short gastric vessels are taken down
(Figure 3) and the proximal stomach is
easily mobilized away from the
pancreas and splenic vessels (Figure 3).
Alternatively, the short gastric vessels
can be approached medially—at times
safer, with less potential injury to the
splenic hilum or pancreas (Figure 4).
At this time, the exposure is much the
same as with a standard sleeve
gastrectomy. As the greater curve is
mobilized, the lesser curve vessels can
be mobilized to a point proximal to the
prosthesis (Figure 5), 3 to 4cm distal to
the EG junction. This will define the
inferior aspect of the pouch (Figure 6).
The vertical staple line is invariably
hidden by gastro-gastric adhesions,
imbricating the “true” staple line deep
within the gastric tissue (Figure 7). It is
important to open this plane so as not
to include too much thicknesses of
stomach in the new vertical staple line.
This Month’s Featured Expert
KELVIN HIGA, MD, FACSClinical Professor of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco,Fresno, California, and Director, Minimally Invasive and BariatricSurgery, Fresno Heart and Surgical Hospital, Fresno, California
SURGICAL PEARLS:Techniques in Bariatric
Surgery
Column
Editors:
This column recruits expert surgeons to share step-by-step technical pearls on bariatric procedures.
THIS MONTH’S TECHNIQUE:
Vertical-bandedGastroplasty to Roux-en-YGastric Bypass withRemnant GastrectomyBariatric Times. 2013;10(5):8–9.
RAUL J.ROSENTHAL,MD, FACS,FASMBS
DANIEL B.
JONES, MD,
MS, FACS
ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE: Kelvin Higa, MD, FACS, Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery
Associates, 205 E. River Park Circle, Suite 460, Fresno, CA 93720; Phone: (559)-261-4500; Fax: (559)-261-4501
Vertical-Banded Gastroplasty. This diagram shows the steps of performing avertical banded gastroplasty: 1) transection of stomach distal to band and staplelines; 2) division of short gastric vessels; 3) stapling inferior aspect of pouch; and 4) vertical staple line inside previous staple lines.
9Surgical PearlsBariatric Times • May 2013
Figure 1.
Dissection of
hiatus
Figure 3.
Division of
short gastric
vessels
Figure 2.
Transection of
stomach distal
to band and
staple lines
Figure 5.
Perigastric
dissection
above ring
Figure 7.
Vertical staple
line inside
previous staple
line
Figure 8.
Gastrojejunostomy
Figure 6.
Transverse
staple line
proximal to ring
Figure 4.
Alternative,
medial approach
to short gastric
vessels
If the gastric pouch is huge, this is not
as big an issue as when it appears the
stomach to be small. In most cases, the
true staple line is 1 to 2cm deeper than
one thinks on visual inspection alone.
As the pouch is now created inside
the previous pouch, the resulting
specimen will include all the previous
staple lines as well as the prosthesis.
The gastric bypass and
gastrojejunostomy (GJ) anastomosis
can now be performed in a standard
fashion (Figure 8).
This method for conversion of the
VBG to the gastric bypass allows for
precise formation of the gastric pouch,
without compromise to its size,
orientation, blood supply, or
innervation. One would expect, then,
exactly the same results in a given
patient population as a primary gastric
bypass. These results are unusual in the
world of re-operative surgery and
perhaps, this is the only conversion
where one can observe such results.
REFERENCES
1. Mason EE. Vertical banded
gastroplasty for obesity. Arch Surg.
1982;117(5):701–706.
2. Vasas P, Dillemans B, Van
Cauwenberge S, De Visschere M,
Vercauteren C. Short- and long-term
outcomes of vertical banded
gastroplasty converted to Roux-en-Y
gastric bypass. Obes Surg.
2013;23(2):241–248.
3. Thill V, Khorassani R, Ngongang C, et
al. Laparoscopic gastric banding as
revisional procedure to failed vertical
gastroplasty. Obes Surg.
2009;19(11):1477–480.
4. Foletto M, Prevedello L, Bernante P,
et al. Sleeve gastrectomy as revisional
procedure for failed gastric banding
or gastroplasty. Surg Obes Relat Dis.
2010;6(2):146–151.
5. Suter M, Ralea S, Millo P, et al.
Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric
bypass after failed vertical banded
gastroplasty: a multicenter
experience with 203 patients. Obes
Surg. 2012;22(10):1554–1561.
6. Gagné DJ, Dovec E, Urbandt JE.
Laparoscopic revision of vertical
banded gastroplasty to Roux-en-Y
gastric bypass: outcomes of 105
patients. Surg Obes Relat Dis.
2011;7(4):493–499.
7. Cadière GB, Himpens J, Bazi M, et al.
Are laparoscopic gastric bypass after
gastroplasty and primary laparoscopic
gastric bypass similar in terms of
results? Obes Surg.
2011;21(6):692–698.
FUNDING: There was no funding for the
preparation of this manuscript.
DISCLOSURES: The author reports no conflicts
of interest relevant to the content of this article.
10 Ask the Leadership Bariatric Times • May 2013
The Cost-effectivenessof Bariatric SurgeryBariatric Times. 2013;10(5):10.
Dr. Rosenthal: Drs. Morton andWolfe, what was your initialreaction to the study “Impactof bariatric surgery on healthcare costs of obese persons: a6-year follow-up of surgicaland comparison cohorts usinghealth plan data,”1 which waspublished online ahead on printin JAMA Surgery?
Drs. Morton and Wolfe: Our
initial reaction was concern that this
study was published at all. There
are several methodological flaws
with the study. The authors’
comparison cohort has not been
replicated and is predicated on
International Classification of
Diseases (ICD)9 codes associated
with obesity, not actual weight. In
addition, inclusion of patients with
unknown surgery is unsuitable given
that they could be cancer patients
or bariatric surgery revisions.
There is dramatic reduction in
follow up over the six years. Among
the 29,820 study patients, the follow
up at Years 2 through 6 is 65, 43, 25,
15, and seven percent respectively.
This exceedingly low, six-year
follow-up rate is exacerbated for
laparoscopic gastric bypass at 1.9
percent (217). It is entirely unclear
how many patients are available for
follow up or how to account for
missing data or patients without
cost claims.
Dr. Rosenthal: The article’smain conclusion was “bariatricsurgery does not reduceoverall healthcare costs in thelong term.” Do you agree with thisconclusion? Were there anyelements to the study that mayhave altered the findings, forinstance the fact that thegroup evaluated proceduresdone between 2002 and 2008(i.e., safety and effectivenessof procedures were differentand a greater percentage ofprocedures were performedopen compared to today)?Might researchers reach adifferent conclusion if, in thefuture, they evaluateprocedures done between 2008and 2014?
Drs. Morton and Wolfe: The
study time period predates modern
bariatric surgery, which includes the
accreditation initiative and
laparoscopic approach. The
laparoscopic approach renders
lower cost and complications. Open
procedures are excessive in this
study at 35 percent while current
rates are less than 10 percent.
Clearly, with improvement in safety
and effectiveness we would expect
to see cost savings.
Dr. Rosenthal: Do you feel it isimportant to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of bariatricsurgery? What articles existthat prove bariatric surgery iscost-effective?
Drs. Morton and Wolfe:Numerous publications
overwhelmingly support the cost-
benefit of bariatric surgery,
including a recent systematic review
by Wang et al2 and formal cost-
effectiveness analysis by Picot et al.3
Even with poor follow up and the
questionable comparison group in
the Weiner et al study,1 lower
pharmaceutical costs and equivalent
clinic visits were seen for the
surgical cohort. The only increase in
cost for the surgical cohort was for
surgery in the second and third
years, indicating that costs did not
emanate from the perioperative
period. This potentially increased
cost could be a reflection of “pent
up” demand for previously deferred
and needed services, such as joint
replacement or hernia repair.
Dr. Rosenthal: Do you think thisstudy and its findings mightimpact insurance coverage forbariatric procedures?
Drs. Morton and Wolfe: We
believe that a reasonable review of
the literature supports coverage for
bariatric surgery in the right
patients and in the right hands. We
fully anticipate that insurers will
continue to provide coverage for
this safe and effective procedure for
patients in need and without
recourse for their serious health
concerns. Moreover, it is medically
irresponsible to withhold needed
care when safe, effective therapy is
available. The larger question
regarding obesity discrimination
arises when bariatric surgery is held
to an inappropriate standard with
this flawed study and accompanying
editorial.
Dr. Rosenthal: Drs. Morton andWolfe, thank you for taking thetime to speak with me on thisimportant issue.
REFERENCES
1. Weiner JP, Goodwin SM, Chang
HY, et al. Impact of bariatric
surgery on healthcare costs of
obese persons: a 6-Year follow-up
of surgical and comparison
cohorts using health plan data.
JAMA Surg. 2013 Feb 20:1–8.
[Epub ahead of print].
2. Wang BC, Wong ES, Alfonso-
Cristancho R, et al. Cost-
effectiveness of bariatric surgical
procedures for the treatment of
severe obesity. Eur J Health
Econ. 2013 Mar 24.
3. Picot J, Jones J, Colquitt JL, et al.
The clinical effectiveness and
cost-effectiveness of bariatric
(weight loss) surgery for obesity:
a systematic review and economic
evaluation. Health Technol
Assess. 2009;13(41):1–190,
215–357, iii–iv.
FUNDING: No funding was provided in the
preparation of this manuscript.
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES: The author
reports no conflicts of interest relevant to
the content of this article.
ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE:
John Morton, MD, MPH, FACS, Stanford
School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive,
H3680, Stanford, CA 94305; Phone: (650)-
725-5247; Fax: 650-736-1663;
E-mail:[email protected]
http://med.stanford.edu/profiles/John_Morto
n
T h i s M o n t h ’ s I n t e r v i e w w i t h
JOHN M. MORTON, MD, MPH, FACS, FASMBSChief of the Section of Bariatric and Minimally Invasive Surgery,
Stanford University, Stanford, California, and Secretary-Treasurer of
ASMBS
BRUCE M. WOLFE, MD Professor of Surgery, Co-director of Bariatric Surgery, Oregon
Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
Ask the
LEADERSHIP
RAUL J. ROSENTHAL, MD,FACS, FASMBS
with
This column is dedicated to sharing the vast knowledge and opinions of the American Society forMetabolic and Bariatric Surgery leadership on relevant topics in the field of bariatric surgery.
Submit Your Own Question
To submit a question for Dr. Rosenthal to “Ask the Leadership,” e-mail AngelaHayes at [email protected]. Include “Ask the Leadership” in the subjectline of your e-mail. All questions are reviewed by the editors and are selectedbased upon interest, timeliness, and pertinence, as determined by the editors.There is no guarantee a submitted question will be published or answered.Published questions are edited and may be shortened.
12 Journal Watch Bariatric Times • May 2013
The comparative effectiveness of
sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass,
and adjustable gastric banding
procedures for the treatment of
morbid obesity.
Carlin AM, Zeni TM, English WJ, et al.
Ann Surg. 2013;257(5):791–797.
Synopsis: The authors conducted a
study to evaluate the comparative
effectiveness of sleeve gastrectomy
(SG), laparoscopic gastric bypass
(RYGB), and laparoscopic adjustable
gastric banding (LAGB) procedures.
Citing limitations of published studies,
payers have been reluctant to provide
routine coverage for SG for the
treatment of morbid obesity. Using data
from an externally audited, statewide
clinical registry, the authors matched
2949 SG patients with equal numbers of
RYGB and LAGB patients on 23 baseline
characteristics. Outcomes assessed
included complications occurring within
30 days, and weight loss, quality of life,
and comorbidity remission at 1, 2, and 3
years after bariatric surgery. Matching
resulted in cohorts of SG, RYGB, and
LAGB patients that were well balanced
on baseline characteristics. Overall
complication rates among patients
undergoing SG (6.3%) were significantly
lower than for RYGB (10.0%, P<0.0001)
but higher than for LAGB (2.4%,
P<0.0001). Serious complication rates
were similar for SG (2.4%) and RYGB
(2.5%, P = 0.736) but higher than for
LAGB (1.0%, P<0.0001). Excess body
weight loss at 1 year was 13% lower for
SG (60%) than for RYGB (69%,
P<0.0001), but was 77% higher for SG
than for LAGB (34%, P<0.0001). SG
was similarly closer to RYGB than LAGB
with regard to remission of obesity-
related comorbidities.
The authors concluded that with better
weight loss than LAGB and lower
complication rates than RYGB, SG is a
reasonable choice for the treatment of
morbid obesity and should be covered
by both public and private payers.
PMID: 23470577
Neurodegenerative disease and
obesity: what is the role of weight
loss and bariatric interventions?
Ashrafian H, Harling L, Darzi A,
Athanasiou T. Metab Brain Dis. 2013
May 8. [Epub ahead of print]
Synopsis: Neurodegenerative diseases
are amongst the leading causes of
worldwide disability, morbidity and
decreased quality of life. They are
increasingly associated with the
concomitant worldwide epidemic of
obesity. Although the prevalence of both
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and
Parkinson’s disease (PD) continue to
rise, the available treatment strategies
to combat these conditions remain
ineffective against an increase in global
neurodegenerative risk factors. There is
now epidemiological and mechanistic
evidence associating obesity and its
related disorders of impaired glucose
homeostasis, type 2 diabetes mellitus,
and metabolic syndrome with both AD
and PD. Here, the researchers describe
the clinical and molecular relationship
between obesity and neurodegenerative
disease. Secondly, they outline the
protective role of weight loss, metabolic
and caloric modifying interventions in
the context of AD and PD. The
researchers conclude that the
application of caloric restriction through
dietary changes, bariatric (metabolic)
surgery and gut hormone therapy may
offer novel therapeutic strategies against
neurodegenerative disorders.
Investigating the protective mechanisms
of weight loss, metabolic and caloric
modifying interventions can increase
our understanding of these major public
health diseases and their management.
PMID: 23653255
Warfarin users prone to
coagulopathy in first 30 days after
hospital discharge from gastric
bypass.
Bechtel P, Boorse R, Rovito P, et al.
Obes Surg. 2013 May 6. [Epub ahead of
print]
Synopsis: Lehigh Valley Health
Network (LVHN), a nonprofit tertiary
care facility in Allentown, Pennsylvania,
is an accredited American College of
Surgeons Bariatric Surgery Center
Network (ACSBSCN) Level 1 site
performing 400+ bariatric procedures
annually. Bariatric data submission
began in April 2008. Complication
review revealed that approximately 17
percent of patients on chronic
anticoagulation (warfarin) therapy
preoperatively were readmitted with
supratherapeutic international
normalized ratios (INRs), postsurgical
bleeding, anastomotic ulcer, or other
intraluminal hemorrhage. Opinion level
recommendations have been published
regarding the adjustment of warfarin
dosages post-bariatric procedures with
no widespread consensus. Case series
have been published detailing
perioperative hemorrhage risk for
bariatric patients on preoperative
anticoagulation. Little data of post-
discharge hemorrhage rates have been
published. With increasing numbers of
bariatric surgical procedures performed
annually, there is a potential for
developing serious coagulopathic
complications in those patients who
resume their anticoagulation therapy
postoperatively. Retrospective review of
LVHN data from the ACSBSCN database
was analyzed for 30-day readmissions
due to documented extra- or
intraluminal hemorrhage with INR and
coagulopathy. Follow-up INR and
warfarin doses were collected up to 6
months postoperatively. the authors
found that over a three-year period, 38
patients undergoing bariatric
procedures were identified as being on
preoperative warfarin therapy. Six of 38
developed hemorrhage within 30 days.
Two patients presented beyond 30 days
with bleeding. Supratherapeutic INR
was present in five of six readmitted
patients. Mean INR was 5.8. Warfarin
sensitivity was present in a statistically
significant higher number of patients
within 30 days of surgery. After 30 days,
a resistance to warfarin was
demonstrated. The authors concluded
that bariatric surgery patients taking
warfarin are prone to coagulopathy in
the early post-op period requiring
vigilant monitoring to prevent
supratherapeutic INR and
corresponding risk of hemorrhage.
PMID: 23645479
Moderate physical activity as
predictor of weight loss after
bariatric surgery.
Mundi MS, Lorentz PA, Swain J, et al.
Obes Surg. 2013 May 1. [Epub ahead of
print]
Synopsis: This study assessed whether
the short-form International Physical
Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-SF) data
at 1 year postbariatric surgery would
correlate with success (defined as more
than 50 % excess weight loss (EWL))
after surgery. The IPAQ-SF
questionnaire provided assessment of
subjects’ activity level over the last
seven days, in four separate activity
domains: vigorous, moderate, walking,
and sitting. Questionnaires were
completed and collected at the 1-year
postbariatric surgery group visit. Then,
118 subjects who completed the IPAQ-
SF were subdivided based on loss of
greater than or less than 50 percent of
their excess weight, which in turn was
based on ideal body weight. The authors
concluded that physical activity does
correlate with success after bariatric
surgery, as measured by excess weight
loss (≥50 % EWL).
PMID: 23636999
Metabolic changes one year after
laparoscopic adjustable gastric
banding operation in morbidly
obese subjects.
Visockiene Z, Brimas G, Abaliksta T, et
al. Wideochir Inne Tech Malo
Inwazyjne. 2013;8(1):13–21. Epub
2012 Sep 29.
Synopsis: The researchers conducted a
prospective, nonrandomized single
center cohort study in morbidly obese
subjects to assess weight loss and
changes of metabolic parameters one
year after laparoscopic adjustable
gastric banding (LAGB). Physical
examination, body weight (BW)
parameters and metabolic profile were
assessed at baseline and one year after
LAGB in subjects with morbid obesity.
The incidence of MS was evaluated
according to National Cholesterol
Education Program Adult Treatment
Panel III criteria. One year after the
operation data from 90 patients out of
103 were available. Mean excess weight
(EW) loss of 33.1 percent was
associated with a significant
improvement in all metabolic
parameters: decrease of hypertension
by 15.8 percent, hypertriglyceridemia by
42.6 percent, and hyperglycemia by 46.3
percent; and increase in high density
lipoprotein cholesterol by 48.3 percent.
This resulted in the resolution of
metabolic syndrome (MS) in 44.2
percent of subjects. The significant
change in the distribution of MS
components was observed with the
highest frequency of four components
before and two components after
surgery. Patients with MS at baseline
lost 29.9 percent of EW compared to
44.3 percent in those without MS
(p=0.009). The authors concluded that
LAGB resulted in effective reduction of
BW parameters in morbidly obese
subjects one year after the operation.
Along with the weight loss, resolution of
MS and a significant shift towards
decrease in the number of MS
components was observed. Patients
with MS were more resistant to the
weight loss.
PMID: 23630549
Watch
Journal
A quick look at the
noteworthy articles
in bariatric and
metabolic research
13Checklists in Bariatric SurgeryBariatric Times • May 2013
Checklists in Bariatric Surgery
Welcome to “Checklists inBariatric Surgery.” Thiscolumn’s aim is to help
bariatric surgeons quickly reviewthe reasons for potentialproblems when caring forbariatric patients.
In this eighth installment ofthe column, we discuss gastro-gastric fistulas after Roux-enYgastric bypass (RYGB).
We hope you clip and save thisconvenient checklist and find ituseful as a reference tool in youreveryday practice.
Please stay tuned for morechecklists in upcoming issues ofBariatric Times.
FUNDING: No funding was provided.
DISCLOSURES: Dr. Rosenthal receives
educational grants from Covidien, Baxter,
Karl Storz, W.L. Gore, and Ethicon Endo-
Surgery. He is on the advisory board of
MST. Drs. Szomstein and Lo Menzo
report no conflicts of interest relevant to
the content of this article.
ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE:
Raul J. Rosenthal MD, FACS,
FASMBS, Cleveland Clinic Florida, 2950
Cleveland Clinic Blvd., Weston,
FL 33331; Phone (954) 659-5228; Fax
(954) 659-5256; E-mail: [email protected]
Column Editor
RAUL J. ROSENTHAL,
MD, FACS, FASMBS
Clinical Editor, Bariatric Times,Professor of Surgery and
Chairman, Department of General Surgery;Director, The Bariatric and MetabolicInstitute; Director, General SurgeryResidency Program and Fellowship inMinimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery,Cleveland Clinic Florida, Weston, Florida
SAMUEL SZOMSTEIN,
MD, FACS, FASMBS
Associate Director of theBariatric Institute and Section ofMinimally Invasive Surgery at
the Cleveland Clinic in Weston, Florida, andClinical Associate Professor of Surgery,Florida International University
E. LO MENZO MD, PhD,
FACS, FASMBS
Staff Surgeon, The Bariatric andMetabolic Institute, Departmentof General Surgery, Cleveland
Clinic Florida, Weston, Florida.
Column Co-editorsREADER HANDOUT: Cut, copy, and distribute.
CHECKLIST #8
Gastro-gastric Fistula after Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypassby RAUL J. ROSENTHAL, MD, FACS, FASMBS; SAMUEL SZOMSTEIN, MD, FACS, FASMBS; and EMANUELE LO MENZO, MD, PhD, FACS, FASMBS
CHECKLIST #8
Gastro-gastric Fistula after Roux-en-Y Gastric BypassBariatric Times. 2013;10(5):13
P CHECKLISTS IN BARIATRIC SURGERY
Disclaimer: The information in this handout is for educational purposes only and should not be used as a primary source of treatment.
Please visit www.bariatrictimes.com to download thePDF of this handout OR scan the QR code to the rightfor a direct link to the Bariatric Times website.
Sponsored by Matrix MedicalCommunications
Publishers of
P
Bariatric Times. 2013;10(5):13
HISTORY:
__Recurrent marginalulcers refractory tomedical treatment orweight regain, abdominalpain, nausea, andvomiting
__If recurrent orrefractory marginal ulcer,rule out the presence ofhypersecretory states,such as gastrinoma(check gastrin levels),even if a G-G fistula isidentified
P DIAGNOSIS:
__UGI with Cleveland Clinic Florida G-G fistula protocol (oblique andprone pictures).
__Also assess pouch and anastomosis sizes, limb lengths.
__EGD looking for fistula.
__Also measure pouch, assess status of mucosa, presence of marginalulcers, distance of fistula opening from the GJ anastomosis.
__CT scanLook for presence of foreign bodies, gastric remnant distention withair and contrast
P
TREATMENT:
MedicalIf minimal symptoms andpresence of marginal ulcer:
__PPI__carafate__smoking and NSAIDscessation.
__Re-evaluate in 6 weeks
EndoscopicIf fistula <5 mm in diameter:
__attempt endoscopic closure (injection or fibrins glue, plasmacoagulation, clipping, stenting,and various endoscopic suturingtechniques).
• Larger fistulas will unlikelyclose with endoscopicinterventions.
Surgical
__Review original surgeryoperative report• presence of anastomoticforeign bodies, route of Rouxlimb, limb lengths, divided vs.nondivided
Approach__OPEN or __LAPAROSCOPIC
__If fistula high and no marginalulcer:
Resection of the fistuloustract
__If fistula by GJ anastomosis,persistent marginal ulcer, GJstricture:
Resect the entireanastomosis/fistula complex and re-do anastomosis.
__If documented acidhypersecretion:
Consider pouch trimming andtruncal vagotomy
__If resection involvessignificant portion of gastricremnant:
Considercompleteremnantgastrectomyto avoidretainedantrumsyndrome.
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
v Surgeon’s Tip: Adequate length of aretrocolic retrogastric Roux limb can beachieved by mobilization of the jejunum
as it passes through the transversemesocolon and pivoting around its
unmobilized mesentery.
v Surgeon’s Tip:In order to avoidmucoceles, do
not leave vascu-larized gastric tis-
sue without adrainage route.
a
a
14 Commentary Bariatric Times • May 2013
Continued from page 1
The fact is that the use of the scale
does provide an accurate body mass
index (BMI) for clinics, but clearly does
not have the capacity to speak to a
patient’s real success. In fact, I have
found that the scale can sometimes be
inversely proportionate to a patient’s
well-being. Even slight elevations in
weight, or staying at the same weight,
have bothered many patients, as their
eyes are glued to that number—rather
than on the prize of a better quality of
life.
I specifically recall discussing quality
of life changes with one puzzled patient
who was visibly shaken that the number
on the scale dared remain the same
after she incorporated an exercise plan
into her daily routine. She even asked if
she could remove all of her clothing and
put on a hospital gown to help register
greater weight loss.
“How would your life change if the
scale registered two pounds less
today?” I asked her. The patient
pondered the question for a moment
and answered, “Quite frankly, it
wouldn’t.”
It was a humbling moment for her as
a patient and for me as her nurse.
“Scales are for fish and not a true
indicator of success,” I explained. We
both laughed.
The mood shifted as we
concentrated on how her waistline was
slimmer and her dress size went from
24 to 16 in a matter of months. Most
heartwarming was when she shared
that she had recently attended Parent
Night at her child’s elementary school
and was able to sit in her child’s chair.
She shared how this moment spoke
volumes to improving her quality of life
compared to the number she just
witnessed on the scale.
Shy of having the scale thank
patients for their patronage and loyalty,
our bariatric team designed a way to
shift the focus away from a number at
the time that weight is measured, to the
quality of life the patient is
experiencing.
Staff and patients collaborated as a
team to create the “Now I Can” quilt.
The idea, which originated from the
multidisciplinary bariatric team, was to
have patients showcase their success
stories in a personal and profound way.
Patients were simply asked to
submit on an index card a “Now I
Can”—something specific that they
could not do prior to having weight loss
surgery. Patients were asked to include
only their date of surgery and initials
with their “Now I Can” statement.
One patient, a school teacher,
shopped for colorful material to create
the quilt squares. The finished
measurement of the quilt would be 10
feet by 10 feet, with 4 x 4-inch squares.
A larger square was placed in the
center of the quilt with a clear and
concise message: Now I Can. The
border proudly repeats a ceremonious
theme of endorsement: “I think I can. I
know I can. Now I can.”
Another patient, an artist,
volunteered to transcribe the many
messages from the index cards to the
squares of material, and then sew them
all together.
Patients who helped the project
along were happy to volunteer, saying
that it was their way to thank the
bariatric team for their continued
support prior to, during, and after their
respective weight loss surgeries.
The quilt not only fashions patients’
success stories, but also helps to create
a clinic without walls.
Many new patients as well as
postoperative patients are thrilled to
read the written messages on the quilt
that include such “Now I Can”
statements as the following:
• Have hope again
• Fly on an airplane without an
extension belt
• Dance
• Look in the mirror
• Live my life without taking
medications.
Our bariatric quilt was a collective
effort that serves to inspire patients to
change their perception. Our goal was
to bring awareness to real changes, in
real time, by real people.
The quilt hangs in the clinic right
next to the scale. Now, when patients
weigh in, they are squarely faced with
their bari buddies’ living testimonials of
their true measurements of success.
The result is the best of both worlds
because it cheerfully connects patients
together while bringing awareness to
individuals’ very own potential.
However, in addition to those many
inspirational testimonials colorfully
displayed on the front of the quilt, the
most heartwarming message is really
written on the back. It reads:
“This quilt is dedicated to the
brave men and women who have
empowered themselves through the
BIDMC weight loss program. Let this
inspire change …”
FUNDING: No funding was provided.
DISCLOSURES: The author reports no conflicts
of interest relevant to the content of this article.
AUTHOR AFFILIATION: Ms. Trainor is from
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston,
Massachusetts.
ADDRESS FOR
CORRESPONDENCE:
Linda Trainor, RN, BSN;
Phone: (617)-667-0115;
E-mail: Ltrainor@bidmc.
harvard.edu
Bariatric Patients
Sew Success with
Inspirational Quilt
by LINDA TRAINOR, RN, BSN
Bariatric Times. 2013;10(5):14. The “Now I Can” quilt, created by bariatric patients at the Beth Israel DeaconessMedical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
Example of “Now I Can” statements submitted by patients included their initials,date of surgery, and something specific they are now able to do as a result oftheir weight loss surgery.
“The “Now I Can” quilt, which was the brainchild of
Linda Trainor, was an awesome idea that has rallied our
patients together.”
-Dr. Dan Jones, Director of the BIDMC Bariatric Program
16 News and Trends Bariatric Times • May 2013
SOCIETY OF AMERICAN
GASTROINTESTINAL AND
ENDOSCOPIC SURGEONS ISSUES
STATEMENT ON BENEFITS OF
LAPAROSCOPIC OBESITY SURGERY
Governor Chris Christie’s Decision to
Undergo Procedure Provides Opportunity to
Educate Patients
LOS ANGELES, California—
Committed to enhancing overall patient
well-being, the Society of American
Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic
Surgeons (SAGES) issued a statement
on the benefits of laparoscopic obesity
surgery. “We echo the NIH consensus
that weight loss surgery is the only
effective, long-term method for the
treatment of obesity while diet
management and other systems achieve
temporary results,” said Dr. Scott
Melvin, Professor and Chief of
Gastrointestinal Surgery at Ohio State
University and the immediate past
President of SAGES. “For the right
patients, surgery for obesity is life
saving, improves quality of life, and may
even reduce healthcare costs over the
course of time. New Jersey Governor
Chris Christie’s decision to share his
experience has provided a valuable
opportunity for patients to educate
themselves and dialogue with their
physicians on such minimally invasive
surgical (MIS) procedures,” Dr. Melvin
said.
SAGES has been at the forefront of
best practices in laparoscopic obesity
surgery by researching, developing, and
disseminating the guidelines and
training for standards of practice in
surgical procedures. Both open and
laparoscopic bariatric operations are
effective therapies for morbid obesity
and represent complementary state-of-
the-art procedures; however, as is the
case with a majority of MIS procedures,
recovery is generally faster with MIS
and there are less complications.
Patients are encouraged to review
the SAGES Patient Information
Guidelines for Laparoscopic Surgery for
Severe (Morbid) Obesity at
http://www.sages.org/publications/patien
t_information to learn about treatment
options, the advantages of laparoscopic
obesity surgery and if they would be
considered as a candidate for this type
of surgery.
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF
CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGISTS
RELEASES NEW COMPREHENSIVE
DIABETES MANAGEMENT
ALGORITHM FOR TREATMENT OF
DIABETES AND PREDIABETES
PATIENTS
JACKSONVILLE, Florida—The
American Association of Clinical
Endocrinologists (AACE) announced
the publication of its new
comprehensive diabetes management
algorithm created to guide primary care
physicians, endocrinologists, and other
healthcare professionals in the
treatment of prediabetes and type 2
diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients.
Recommendations in the algorithm,
published online at
https://www.aace.com/files/glycemic-
control-algorithm.pdf and in the
March/April 2013 issue of the
association’s peer-reviewed scientific
journal Endocrine Practice, consider
the whole patient, the spectrum of risks
and complications for the patient, and
evidence-based approaches to
treatment.
Specifically, the document provides
suggestions for treatment prioritization
News
and
TrendsMAY 2013
Bariatric Times. 2013;10(5):16–18
17News and TrendsBariatric Times • May 2013
and risk-reduction strategies while
addressing the following circumstances
and conditions that frequently are
precursors to, or are concurrent with,
a T2DM diagnosis:
• Management of diabetes and co-
existing diseases or disorders in the
prediabetic phase of disease
• A hierarchy of steps for the
management of high blood sugar
control using an approach that
balances age and comorbidities
while minimizing the adverse effects
of hypoglycemia and weight gain
• Complications-centric treatment of
the patient with overweight or
obesity, as opposed to a body mass
index (BMI)-centric approach,
including medical and surgical
treatments for greater weight loss
• Management of cardiovascular
disease risk factors, hypertension,
and hyperlipidemia (high lipid
levels) in those patients with
prediabetes or T2DM.
Among the algorithm’s key
recommendations is that a
comprehensive care plan for persons
with diabetes must now consider
obesity management as an integral
part of the overall treatment plan to
effectively reduce morbidity, mortality,
and disability in the majority of
patients with T2DM who are obese.
Also, while suggesting a blood sugar
goal of <6.5% as optimal for most
diabetes patients if it can be achieved
in a safe manner, the algorithm
recommends the target be
individualized based on numerous
factors, such as age, comorbid
conditions, duration of diabetes, risk of
hypoglycemia, patient motivation and
adherence, and life expectancy. Higher
targets may be appropriate for some
individuals and may change for a given
individual over time.
The algorithm includes every FDA-
approved class of medications for
diabetes and differentiates the choice
of therapies based on the patient’s
initial A1C.
“This algorithm is a definitive, point-
of-care tool for clinicians engaged in
the treatment of those who are at risk
for or have developed diabetes,” said
Alan Garber, MD, PhD, FACE, chair of
the algorithm task force and President
of AACE. “We have expanded on our
previous efforts to address broad-
reaching, critical factors that
accompany the disease and its
treatment.”
“With more than 100 million
suffering from diabetes and
prediabetes in the United States, there
simply are not enough endocrinologists
to care for all patients,” he added.
“Thus, this algorithm is essential to
assist and educate clinicians who are
charged with these patients’ care.”
To learn more about the AACE, visit
www.aace.com.
LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY MEDICALCENTER UTILIZES NEW,INNOVATIVE SYSTEM TO TREATGASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUXDISEASE
LOMA LINDA, California—Loma
Linda University Medical Center
(LLUMC) is the first medical facility in
the Inland Empire to utilize the LINX
Reflux Management System to treat
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
(GERD). LLUMC is one out of six
facilities that offer this specialized
procedure in California.
Dr. Marcos Michelotti, a minimally
invasive surgeon at Loma Linda
University Medical Center, is excited to
be able to offer such an innovative
technique to those suffering from
gastroesophageal reflux. “The LINX
system will prove itself beneficial to
our patients as it is supported through
robust research and will provide
economic benefits,” he said.
The LINX System is a small implant
comprising interlinked titanium beads
with magnetic cores. The magnetic
attraction between the beads
augments the existing esophageal
sphincter’s barrier function to prevent
reflux. The device is implanted with a
18 News and Trends Bariatric Times • May 2013
standard, minimally invasive,
laparoscopic procedure and is an
alternative to the more anatomically
disruptive fundoplication, commonly
used in surgical anti-reflux procedures.
To read the full press release, visit
http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb20
13/4/prweb10636709.htm
For additional information on the
LINX system, including pictures and
animation visit
https://www.dropbox.com/s/112pitawprs
hvt0/LINX%20Center%20Media%20Kit2
.zip
For more information about this
procedure at LLUMC, please call 909-
558-4000, ext. 43616.
CAREFUSION LAUNCHES NEW
DRAINAGE PRODUCTS AT SOCIETY
OF INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY
ANNUAL SCIENTIFIC MEETING
SAN DIEGO, California—
–CareFusion Corp., a global medical
technology company, introduced three
new products to help physicians with
the drainage of fluids for patients with
ascites and pleural effusions.
The new products were on exhibit in
at the 38th Annual Society of
Interventional Radiology (SIR) Scientific
Meeting being held in New Orleans,
April 15 to 17, 2013. Highlighted
products included the following:
• Denver® shunt 15.5 Fr percutaneous
access kit (PAK): Denver 15.5 Fr
shunts are now available in a procedure
tray containing updated components for
percutaneous placement. The new
procedure tray helps effectively manage
refractory ascites patients.
• New 5 Fr Thora-Para device: A
smaller version of CareFusion’s existing 8
Fr Thora-Para device, features an echo-
enhanced needle, which improves
visualization under ultrasound. The
device offers an optimized tip taper and a
new surface treatment, shown to
minimize insertion force. The catheter
offers large, spirally oriented drainage
holes that facilitate fast flow rates, which
may lead to decreased procedure time.
• PleurX® Catheter System: The PleurX
catheter system is easy to use for
managing recurrent pleural effusions and
malignant ascites at home. A new
supplemental catheter insertion kit will
help reduce the amount of fluid leakage
during catheter placement. The kit
includes an orange stylet designed to
occlude the openings in the catheter
during placement, and a valved
introducer that helps prevent air from
entering and fluid from leaking.
More information may be found at
www.carefusion.com.
MICROLINE SURGICAL LAUNCHES
ENHANCED MISEAL REPOSABLE
THERMAL LIGATING SYSTEM AT
SAGES 2013 ANNUAL MEETING
BEVERLY, Massachusetts—Microline
Surgical, Inc., a manufacturer of
reposable instruments for minimally
invasive surgery, launched an enhanced
version of its MiSeal Reposable Thermal
Ligating System at The Society of
American Gastrointestinal and
Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) 2013
Scientific Session and Postgraduate
Course in Baltimore, Maryland. MiSeal
comprises a reusable handle and
disposable tips, combining the precision
of a fully disposable instrument with the
economic benefits and quality of a fully
reusable handpiece. Leveraging
feedback from surgeons, Microline has
redesigned MiSeal to feature a more
ergonomic handle that can be locked
into position for continuous sealing to
minimize fatigue and improve the
surgeon’s experience when performing
long, complex surgical procedures.
For more information on MiSeal,
please visit www.microlinesurgical.com
PROGRAM DIRECTORS
CLEVELAND CLINIC FLORIDA
ORGANIZING FACULTY
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
TARGET AUDIENCE
Jacqueline McCartney, RN,RM, CNOR, CBNCoordinator, Bariatric and MinimallyInvasive Surgery Operating RoomCleveland Clinic FloridaWeston, Florida
Raul J. Rosenthal, MDSamuel Szomstein, MDEmanuel Lo Menzo, MD
Andre Teixeira, MDMelodie K. Moorehead, PhDLisa Stewart, PhD, LMhCNatan Zundel, MD, FACSPaul Wizman, MD
INVITED FACULTY
CLEVELAND CLINIC FLORIDA
INVITED FACULTY
Karla Abregu, RN, BSNKarol BastiasNicole Berry, RN, BSNBev Capasso, RN MSNKaren Conigliaro, RN, CBNSteven Earle, MDDouglas FairmanCIndy HillSantiago Luis, MDNancy McGilvary, STSherwin Chang, PTJuliana Maso, CSTDeanna Raynolds, LPNMary Lou Schreiner, RN, CNORGricelle Vazquez-Navarro, RNAndrew Ukleja, MD, AGAF, CNSP
Lillian Craggs-Dino, DHA, RDN,LDNRegistered Dietician and Support GroupCoordinatorBariatric and Metabolic InstituteCleveland Clinic FloridaWeston, Florida
Mindy Mund, RN, CBNProgram Coordinator,Bariatric and Metabolic InstituteCleveland Clinic FloridaWeston, Florida
The Bariatric Institute at Cleveland Clinic Florida is pleased to invite you to participate in Allied Health
Course “The Bariatric Allied Health Professional’s Role in a Multidisciplinary Specialty.” Allied Health
professionals provide exemplary care to patients on a daily basis to patients having Metabolic Surgery.
The various specialties involved in creating successful outcomes for these patients will be highlighted in
this program. The ASMBS has identified new guidelines for the practice of these professionals where
patients can expect to receive safer and more effective surgical treatment. This program will emphasize
multidisciplinary care as well as discuss these guidelines as an integral and efficient approach to the
treatment of the bariatric patients.
The course is intended for allied health professionals including Nurses, Surgical Technicians, Dieticians,
Physical Therapists, Physician Assistants, Insurance Specialists, and Psychologists who are currently
involved in the treatment of bariatric patients and for those who are entering the specialty.
ACCREDITATION
Cleveland Clinic Florida is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education
(ACCME) to sponsor continuing medical education for physicians.
DESIGNATION OF CREDIT
Nurses: Approved for 8 hours of Continuing Nursing Education by the Florida Board of Nursing. NCE 2334.Surgical Technologists: This continuing education activity is approved by the Association of SurgicalTechnologists, Inc. for 7.5 CE credits for the CST and CFA.Dietitians: Approved by the Commission on Dietetic Registration for 7.5 CEUs.This continuing education activity is pending approval for the following:
• Physician Assistants• Physical Therapists• Coders
OBJECTIVES
As with any surgery, there are associated risks and complications with bariatric treatment.
Care is particularly challenging because morbid obesity usually involves a myriad of other medical prob-
lems that need to be addressed. We cannot eliminate all the unfortunate issues from happening, but we are
committed to making patient’s experience with bariatric surgery as safe and effective as possible.
At the conclusion of this program, the participants will be able to:
• Discuss the variety of obesity treatment options, including new surgical approaches and behavioral/
support programs, specific diets, physical activity recommendations, medications, surgery, and
identify strategies for promoting success
• Evaluate tools, and strategies which are useful when working with obese patients
• Describe important considerations when establishing a Bariatric practice
• Provide a new approach to enhancing quality and safety incorporating risk reduction strategies into
your practice
• Establish programs and processes that demonstrate quality and performance improvements
The Bariatric Allied Health
Professional’s Role In A
Multidisciplinary SpecialtyJULY 13, 2013 • HYATT PIER SIXTY-SIXFORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA
REGISTER NOW!
w w w . C l e v e l a n d C l i n i c F l o r i d a C M E . o r g
20 Ed Mason at Large Bariatric Times • May 2013
Could you talk about the mechanics ofsleeve gastrectomy?-Dr Girish JunejaDirector Bariatric Programme International Modern HospitalDubai, United Arab Emirates
Dr. Mason: Normal functions of both
stomach and duodenum are eliminated
by sleeve gastrectomy (SG).
Functionally, all that is left is a lesser
curvature tube from esophagus to
jejunum. This remaining sleeve of
stomach is equivalent to a segment of
small bowel used to replace the stomach
after total gastrectomy. What is
swallowed reaches the jejunum without
the elaborate regulation of gastric
emptying by osmolality and other
receptors in the duodenum. Highly
concentrated contents reaching the
upper small bowel cause an intestinal
flush to the distal bowel where the L
cells are stimulated by glucose to
secrete glucagon-like peptide 1
(GLP-1).
SG has the same effect as total
gastrectomy. In a study of total
gastrectomy, Miholic et al1 found a peak
GLP-1 secretion occurring 15 minutes
after the beginning of a standard meal.
There was no difference between Roux-
en-Y reconstruction, which bypasses the
duodenum, and insertion of a segment
of small bowel with passage of contents
through the duodenum. This means that
when the stomach is converted to a
tube, the duodenum also becomes a
functionless tube. The duodenal mixing
of swallowed contents with bile and
pancreatic juice is no longer regulated
to provide a diluted solution. The
discharge into the upper small bowel is
no longer regulated to provide for ideal
digestion and absorption for regulation
of the body’s optimum concentration of
circulating glucose.
Glucose and other stimulants of L
cells in a normal digestive tract are
absorbed before they reach the ileum
after the initial gush. Normally, the peak
elevation of plasma GLP-1 is reached in
15 minutes after the beginning of a
meal, which was difficult to explain until
Brener et al2 described the initial gastric
emptying gush, which provides
duodenal feedback and regulates
subsequent stomach emptying squirts.
Schirra et al3 demonstrated that there is
a glucose threshold for flushing. After
SG there is no initial gastric gush, but
there is unregulated and more frequent
flushing resulting in excessive GLP-1
secretion and improvement of type 2
diabetes (T2D).
In the early days of bariatric
surgery, operations were thought to
cause weight loss by restricting intake
or causing malabsorption or by a
combination. Surgeons also observed
that T2D no longer required medical
treatment after bariatric surgery. These
observations were made after intestinal
bypass in 1954 and again after gastric
bypass in 1966. In 1998, Näslund et al4
called attention to the importance of
GLP-1 in resolving T2D by intestinal
bypass. This paper suggested to me that
the common denominator between
intestinal and gastric bypass was rapid
movement of glucose to the ileum. I
suggested a study of moving the ileum
to a juxta duodenal position.5 Strader et
al6 performed the ileal transposition in
rodents and it increased postprandial
GLP-1 secretion. In 2011, Näslund’s
group that had demonstrated the
importance of GLP-1 in resolving T2D
by intestinal bypass provided a similar
study and result for gastric bypass.7
Glucose and other stimulants of GLP-1
secretion, which are normally absorbed
in the upper small bowel, were reaching
the ileal L cells.
Humans discover the same
important relationships at different
times according to their experience,
study, and problem-solving stress. My
experience with gastric dumping
prepared me for recognizing the
importance of rapid transit. However, I
did not know about Brener’s2 study of
individuals of normal weight of
gush/flush/GLP-1 secretion until I was
confronted with the question as to why
lean people, who supposedly did not
dump, were free of T2D. In fact, those
who are lean do dump. If there is no
gush and no flush then there is T2DM. If
you are having difficulty in following my
efforts to make dumping the key to a
new paradigm about T2D, you should
consult the study by Koopmans et al8
study on ileal transposition. This
prepared me for the recognition of the
importance of dumping. My concept of
serendipity is a mind prepared with the
experiences that need to fall in place in
solving a problem. Important pieces of a
puzzle need to be provided before they
can form a true picture.
An immediate effect of SG is
resolution of GLP-1-dependent T2D
because it restores dumping. Both
intestinal and gastric bypass prevent
and cure T2D, which is a failure to
secrete sufficient GLP-1. GLP-1 cannot
be used to treat T2D because it is too
rapidly inactivated by circulating
dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4).
Operations that immediately expose the
distal bowel to glucose and other
stimulants of L-cell secretion have
shown us the cause of T2D, which is a
failure to secrete adequate amounts of
GLP-1. Appropriate medical treatment
of T2D should provide a modification of
GLP-1 or blockade of DPP4 inactivation
of endogenous GLP-1. For T2D in
people who are not severely obese, a
poorly absorbed oral glucose mimetic
taken before beginning each meal could
resolve T2D without a surgical
operation. There is one hexose that is
used as a sweetener in candy and sodas
that has been shown to increase plasma
GLP-1, but it has not been approved as
a nutraceutical or pharmaceutical.
Because of the size of the obesity
epidemic, less than one percent of
individuals with severe obesity are
provided a dumping type operation for
treatment of obesity and/or T2D. Today,
many millions of kidneys, limbs, eyes,
and lives could be saved by changing
medical treatment of T2D from insulin
to either a GLP-1 mimetic or to an
affordable, poorly-absorbed glucose
mimetic that would reach the distal
bowel at the beginning of a meal or
snack. Some of the effects of GLP-1 are
prolonged by GLP-1 receptors
expressed on the vagal nerve
innervating the portal vein where it
enters the liver. The ideal medical
treatment for T2D in people who are
not obese should be stimulation of the
secretion of the missing hormone at the
This ongoing column is dedicated to sharing with readers the life and experiences of Dr. Edward Mason.
EDMASON
Column Editor: Tracy Martinez, RN, BSN, CBN
Ms. Martinez is the Program Director for Wittgrove Bariatric Centerin La Jolla, California.
AT LARGE
Cal l for Case Reports!
To submit a case report, contact:
Angela Hayes, Managing Editor, Matrix Medical Communications
E-mail: [email protected], Phone: (484) 266-0702;
Toll-free: (866) 325-9907; Fax: (484) 266-0726
Do you have an unique case to share? Bariatric Times is seeking submissions!
Specifications:• At least 15 current references are recommended• Illustrative material is preferred• Must include abstract• Recommended length 1,000 to 3,000 words, not
including references.
Case reports are short presentations of unique cases that stimulate research and the exchange of information and
illustrate the signs and symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of a disorder.
ALSO ACCEPTING VIDEO CLIPS WITH SUBMISSIONS.
If accepted, your video clip could be included in the Bariatric Times digital edition with your case report.
21Ed Mason at LargeBariatric Times • May 2013
beginning of a meal. An epidemic is
unlikely to resolve without an
appropriate paradigm, plan, and effort.
In the time of the dinosaurs there
was a lizard that is still living today. It
has a GLP-1 like hormone in its salivary
glands. In mammals, such cells must
have moved to the distal bowel.9 These
cells need to be stimulated at the
beginning of a meal. This is
accomplished by flushing of hypertonic
intestinal contents to the distal bowel.
L-cells are thus stimulated by glucose
and other GLP-1 stimulants in the
flushed hypertonic contents. Obesity
and age block hypertonic gush/flushing.
Current treatment of T2D is
available with a GLP-1 mimetic or by
blocking DPP4 (the circulating enzyme
that inactivates GLP-1). I treat my age-
related T2D with DPP4 blocking. I could
easily gain enough weight to qualify for
a dumping operation if I were younger
and desired a surgical procedure. I
would rather take an oral glucose
mimetic that stimulated secretion of
endogenous GLP-1. I encourage you to
study the references provided in this
and earlier columns and help with the
ongoing paradigm-shift. We can all
benefit from decreased disease.
Treatment of T2D by dumping has
been available since 1885 when Billroth
performed his second type of
gastrectomy. Dumping occurs in healthy
(i.e., nondiabetic) normal-weight people
before they are old, after RYGB, and
following SG. GLP-1 stimulates growth
of beta cells and secretion of insulin.
GLP-1 increases satiety. Today, before
treatment of patients with dumping
surgery, whose body mass index (BMI)
is less than 40kg/m2, failure of medical
treatment must be demonstrated. If the
medical treatment is not GLP-1 related
it should not qualify. T2D is not insulin
dependent. It is GLP-1 dependent. The
effectiveness of treating T2D with
dumping type obesity surgery compared
with more intensive medical treatment
is because the operations used cause
rapid transit of GLP-1 secretory
stimulants to the distal bowel. SG
results in exposure of the upper
jejunum to hypertonic contents
containing glucose and other stimulants
of L-cell secretion.
REFERENCES1. Miholic J, Orskov C, Holst JJ, et al.
Emptying of the gastric substitute,
glucagon-like peptide-1, and reactive
hypoglycemia after total gastrectomy.
Dig Dis Sci. 1991;36(10):1361–1370.
2. Brener W, Hendrix TR, McHugh PR.
Regulation of the gastric emptying of
glucose. Gastroenterology.
1983;85:76–82.
3. Schirra J, Katschinski M, Weidmann C
et al. Gastric emptying and release of
incretin hormones after glucose
ingestion in humans. J Clin Invest.
1996; 97:92–103.
4. Näslund E, Backman L, Holst JJ, et al.
Importance of small bowel peptides
for the improved glucose metabolism
20 years after jejunoileal bypass for
obesity. Obes Surg. 1998; 8:253–260.
5. Mason EE. Ileal transposition and
enteroglucagon/GLP-1 in obesity (and
diabetic?) surgery. Obes Surg.
1999;9:223–228.
6. Strader AD, Torsten PV, Ronald JJ, et
al. Weight loss through ileal
transposition is accompanied by
increased ileal hormone secretion and
synthesis in rats. Am J Physiol
Endocrinol Metab.
2005;288:E447–E453.
7. Falken Y, Hellstrom PM, Holst JJ,
Näslund E. Roux-e-Y gastric bypass
surgery for obesity at day three, two
months, and one year after surgery:
role of gut peptides. J Clin
Endocrinol Metab.
2011;96(7):2227–2235.
8. Koopmans HS, Sclafani A, Fichtner C,
et al. The effects of ileal transposition
on food intake and body weight loss in
VMH-obese rats. Am J Clin Nutr.
1982;35:284–293.
9. Mason EE. Gila monster’s guide to
surgery for obesity and diabetes. J
Am Coll Surg. 2008;206:357–360.
SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS FOR DR. MASON
To submit a question for “Ed Mason at Large,” e-mail AngelaHayes at [email protected]. Include “Mason at Large”in the subject line of your e-mail. All questions are reviewed bythe editors and are selected based upon interest, timeliness, andpertinence, as determined by the editors. There is no guarantee asubmitted question will be published or answered. Publishedquestions are edited and may be shortened.
Continued from page 1
Approximately two weeks before
surgery, each patient attends a two-hour
education class conducted by our
nursing department specific to each
patient’s procedure (e.g., laparoscopic
adjustable gastric banding, Roux-en-Y
gastric bypass)
Patients are seen by each member of
the integrated team during
hospitalization and in each of the
subsequent surgical follow-up
appointments. Immediately following
the patient’s postoperative follow-up
visit with the surgeon (and throughout
his or her involvement with the JFK
program), the surgeon or nurse escorts
patients to either the nutritionist or
myself. Following this disciplinary
consult (if seen by the nutritionist first),
nutrition will escort the patient to me or
visa versa.
KS: How does JFK practicemultidisciplinary care for thebariatric patient? What have youfound are the benefits of thisapproach?
MM: Historically, I have provided
multidisciplinary care when working
closely with different surgeons and
programs that were not housed under
one roof. In that setting, a patient might
come to my office after visiting his or
her surgeon and dietitian preoperatively.
Typically, and very early in my career, I
would not see the patient
postoperatively one-on-one. When
service delivery is provided by different
disciplines under the same roof it is
seen more as interdisciplinary care. This
type of care is beneficial to our patients
and, as evidenced by patient
testimonials, we find that they
appreciate it.
At JFK, we view bariatric surgery as
a behavioral surgery. We do everything
possible to reduce the prejudice often
times associated with psychological
services for bariatric patients. The field
of psychology can, at times, seem
mysterious and thus be very
misunderstood. We make every effort to
present ourselves as a unified team
during all stages of bariatric care (e.g.,
the monthly public information session,
initial surgical consultation, patient
education class, routine follow-up
appointments, support groups).
Implementing this model of care
provides patients with an opportunity to
have a healing, corrective experience
that can promote long-term
maintenance. The team, in psychological
terms, can represent to the patient a
recapitulation of their original family or
caretakers (i.e., people who were
responsible for their early childhood
care and development). We have
learned through evidenced-based
research that globally the bariatric
patient has often experienced different
forms of abuse and neglect. It is
important to further consider the
damage of living life with obesity (e.g.,
the burden of weight, prejudice, and
loss of quality of life) and encourage the
patient to be as part of the unified
bariatric team, thus fostering a healthy
healing environment. Despite our best
efforts to provide excellent care and
encourage long-term success, there will
always be patients who are challenged
and lost to follow up. In these instances,
we establish a safe environment in
which we welcome back the patients
with dignity and appreciation. This
builds upon the cohesiveness of the
program and the recapitulation factor
can be one of healing. In this way, all our
staff members get to know the patient
and his or her individual circumstances;
the patient senses his or her value,
worth, and being cared about. I always
feel rewarded when I hear a patient
comment to another that they feel their
program is like a family. Providing the
psychological arm in this integrated care
specialty format has proven life
enhancing, if not lifesaving, while it
offers us at JFK an opportunity to more
safely serve a broader patient
population.
Valuing life and understanding the
importance of professional collaboration,
integrated healthcare delivery of service
achieves the following: 1) promotes
safer environments in which to practice,
2) increases access of care for patients,
and 3) increases safety and feelings of
safety for patients.
KS: In your opinion and experience,where does psychology fit into thecare of bariatric patients? Whatmethods do you use in psychevaluation of bariatric candidates?
MM: In 2008, Bariatric Times
conducted an interview with Dr. Kelvin
Higa.1 He replied to a question about the
role of psychology in bariatric surgery
with the following answer, “I think that
the use of psychological evaluation as a
barrier to care is ethically wrong.” I
agree with this.
Rather than performing psychological
screening to rule out individuals from
having bariatric surgery, our focus is to
help prepare individuals for safe and
needed surgery while establishing a
therapeutic alliance that can be
advanced over time. The establishment
and availability of a clinical health
psychologist that learns the motivations,
fears, values, and goals of patients can
help address and resolve barriers to the
healthy long-term use of surgery and
promote weight loss maintenance.
Routine in-house psychological services
can be especially powerful and cost
effective during rocky times, when
challenges and negative consequences
impact or threaten the psychological
makeup and/or relational dynamics of
our patients.2
When a patient comes into our
program with established mental health
22 Hot Topics in Integrated Health Bariatric Times • May 2013
Column Editor: Karen Schulz, RN, APN
President of the Integrated Health Section of theASMBS; Clinical Nurse Specialist, University Hospitalsof Cleveland, Cleveland, Ohio.
THIS MONTH:
Integrated Healthcare at JFKMedical Center Bariatric Wellnessand Surgical Institute: A Best-Practice Model
An interview with Melodie K. Moorehead, PhD, ABPP
Bariatric Times. 2013;10(5):22–24.
This column is dedicated to covering a variety of topics relevant to the multidisciplinary care of the bariatric surgical patient.
Hot Topics in
INTEGRATED HEALTH
ABSTRACTDuring the 3rd Annual Cleveland Clinic Florida Allied Health Symposium, Dr. MelodieMoorehead discussed a best-practice model utilized by The Bariatric Wellness andSurgical Institute at JFK Medical Center, Lake Worth, Florida. Here, in an interview withKaren Schulz,RN, APN, President of the American Society for Metabolic and BariatricSurgery Integrated Health Section, Dr. Moorehead shares this best-practice model, whichincludes the routine delivery of psychological care within an integrated healthcareprogram. In addition, she shares various direct quotes, collected from the JFK ‘veterans’of bariatric surgery during a monthly support group meeting, regarding patients’perspective of such care.
KEYWORDSBariatric, integrated health, psychology, best-practice model
The JFK team discusses patient cases together during weekly interdisciplinary meetings.
Pictured here (clockwise from bottom left): Mary Frazee, RN, Nurse Specialist; Maria Hunte-Pope, RN, Bariatric Coordinator; Fred Simon, MD, FRCS, Bariatric Surgeon; Srinivas Kaza, MD,FACS, Bariatric Surgeon; Andrew Larson, MD, FACS, Medical Director, Bariatric Surgeon; IrisSenatore, Office Coordinator; Melodie Moorehead, PhD, ABPP, Clinical Health Psychologist;Valerie Riva, MS, RD, LDN, Dietitian; Catherine Olbrych, RN, Nurse Specialist; Beverly Lindsey,RN, JFK Director of Surgical Services.
23Hot Topics in Integrated HealthBariatric Times • May 2013
providers, we request letters of support.
This step helps broaden the safety net
of care while providing documentation
for the chart.3
Sometimes individuals present for
bariatric surgery with significant
underlying psychological issues or
medical problems that dramatically
influence his or her
emotional/behavioral presentation.
Rather than rule out even the most
difficult patients—some of whom may
be most in need of surgery—we strive
to either identify what help is essential
and establish an individualized safety
net of care or help patients self-select
out, thus protecting dignity. The
patient’s ability to cooperate and secure
such cooperation is paramount.
Cooperation, with proper supports, can
help the patient avoid unwanted
derailing from program protocol,
encouraging them to remain on track
with surgical goals and help pave the
way for positive long-term outcomes as
defined by the Bariatric Analysis and
Reporting Outcome System (BAROS).4
Each and every time a person comes
into the center, following their initial
psychological interview and with each
routine surgical follow-up the
Moorehead-Ardelt Quality of Life
Questionnaire II (MAII) is administered.4
During the initial psych interview,
psychological informed consent issues
are identified, addressed, discussed, and
documented. Patients read aloud to me
the following passages found on their
worksheet:
It is very important that you have
‘Psychological Informed Consent’ as
you are preparing for bariatric
surgery. There is a potential for
postoperative problems that may
impact your emotional well-being
including, but not limited to the
following:
• Spiking of depression or anxiety,
(some studies have stated
increased risk for suicide following
bariatric surgery)
• Changing dynamics of
relationships, including
divorce/separation
• What has become known as the
concept of: ‘Transfer of addiction.’
Some people have reported that
following bariatric surgery they
turned to excessive and destructive
behaviors such as, but not limited
to excessive alcohol use, smoking,
gambling, shopping, and exercise.
If you notice any of these behaviors
in yourself after your surgery
remember to call your doctors
immediately to secure help
• Excess skin folds.
When closing out the initial
psychological interview, the value of
cooperation and teamwork is stressed to
the patient. Modeling cooperation, I may
consult the patient regarding any
possible need or potential benefit that
might be gained by recommending
additional psychiatric/psychotherapeutic
referrals while preparing for surgery.
Certainly, recommendations prove
useful and help me feel more
comfortable, at times, with the
responsibilities I have, both to my
patient and their program. We also
provide to each patient a two-disc audio
CD that I developed titled, The Gift and
The Tool: A Personal Guide for a
Lifelong Journey.
KS: What are your thoughts onaccess to care?
MM: More patients on
Medicare/Medicaid are presenting for
surgery. Many people on Social Security
disability are on such for psychiatric
reasons. Unfortunately, some individuals
on Social Security disability for
psychiatric reasons have not been
properly treated or managed for years.
Psychiatric disorders can be challenging
enough to an individual or family,
particularly when not properly
diagnosed or treated. Still, when such a
person presents for treatment at JFK,
we recognize the extra burden that
weight, loss of quality of life, and other
significant stressors can also have on a
person’s life. We strive to secure
cooperation from the patient and/or
family and tap the spirit within their
desire for health that brought them to
us. We establish a plan of action,
securing appropriate referrals to safely
prepare for surgery and its aftermath.
There are wonderful opportunities for
increased health and well being for such
patients beyond what surgery alone can
afford.
KS: What other aspects of the JFKprogram would you like to address
24 Hot Topics in Integrated Health Bariatric Times • May 2013
that elucidates the integratedhealthcare approach?
MM: The surgeons, of course, are the
head of the team, and the surgery is the
central event. Our nurses are the
keystone of the entire program. Working
collaboratively with our nutritionist has
proven critically valuable to me. She has
provided numerous consults that have
given me a heads up regarding a
patient’s alcohol use or family dynamics,
as they may evidence during a
nutritional consult. Our front office staff
presents the very first impression in this
integrated healthcare approach, thus
requiring consistent, even mannered,
delivery of service that produces a sense
of confidence and safety for our
patients.
The weekly interdisciplinary team
meeting is a hallmark of integrated
health at JFK. All patients are
conferenced (i.e., every patient on the
surgical schedule is individually
discussed by each discipline), providing
each member of the team specific
information to help them better know
the patient as a whole person. There
may be times when the dietitian or I,
respectively, may simply say, “Patient
cleared for surgery from a nutritional
point of view,” or “I anticipate
cooperation from this person.” When
the surgeon decides surgery is
indicated, even when psychological
recommendations have not been put in
place, I might say, “wavier of psych
recommendations is required” and I will
have elucidated the specifics of the case
so that the entire team understands my
concerns and also has informed consent.
When psychological waivers occur, I
request closer follow up. I work hard at
keeping the power in the hands of the
surgeon who decides when surgery will
occur (rather than insurance
companies). Each patient is case
conferenced two weeks and one week
prior to their surgery. Every member of
the team is present, including key
hospital personnel. Surgeons and
psychologists may approach the patient
with different perspectives on
healthcare and this factor can prove
challenging regarding communication.
Integrated care teams must encourage
both disciplines to learn how to
communicate effectively together thus
having all staff members on the same
page, greatly enhancing patient care.5
At times and very unexpectedly,
spontaneous communication can occur
among the nonsurgical team members
around the water cooler. This type of
communication can be very valuable
regarding patient care and an immediate
way to pass on relevant patient
information.
Lastly, at JFK we have two monthly
support groups (primary and veterans
of surgery focus), both of which I
facilitate. All patients and their loved
ones are encouraged to attend both
support groups pre- and postoperatively
to help gain perspective on the process.
Humbly, facilitation of support groups is
one of my favorite trained skills. I have
run groups monthly since the beginning
of my career in bariatrics (1985). I hope
one day to share what we, as
professionally trained providers, might
do to enhance the therapeutic value of
the support group for the patient and
family. In the meantime, the JFK groups
are open to the entire community and
are widely attended by
pre/postoperative patients and family
members.
KS: You have recently accepted aninvitation to present on the topic“Is Psychological Clearance ReallyNecessary in Bariatric Surgery” atthe upcoming Cleveland ClinicFlorida Annual Bariatric AlliedHealth Professional Course, “TheBariatric Allied HealthProfessional's Role in aMultidisciplinary Specialty.” Whatwill be your focus?
MM: I am honored to have been invited
to speak at this symposium and
appreciate this controversial topic,
which was assigned by Dr. Raul J.
Rosenthal. I hope to secure and report
on various perspectives. We are facing
many changes in the global delivery of
healthcare, and those of us involved in
organizations, such as the American
Society for Metabolic and Bariatric
Surgery (ASMBS) and International
Federation for the Surgery of Obesity
and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO), have
worked hard to establish healthcare
guidelines that meet the needs of the
bariatric patient. I mentioned before
that psychology is often misunderstood;
even some highly qualified psychologists
may practice in ways that prevent
people from having lifesaving surgery. I
have found that surgeons care deeply
about safety. Fifteen or more years ago I
remember giving a lecture, poorly
attended, on another topic regarding
psychological services during which a
surgeon was presenting a parallel
session down the hall. His lecture topic
was how to oversew an anastamosis and
his audience was overflowing into the
hallway. Some might say this is how it
should be. Now, I feel our society is in a
critical time. When it comes to safety,
everyone (including bariatric programs,
educational institutions, and
governments) must recognize that
psychological services, provided by well-
trained individuals, can help save lives,
keep us safer, and provide economical
solutions. Examining whether and if
psychology is best to be used as gate
keepers by insurance companies is
another topic worth discussing. I am
sure the symposium will be energizing
and well attended.
KS: Dr. Moorehead, thank you fortaking the time to speak with us.
AUTHOR ACKNOWLEDGMENT: This article was
prepared with great appreciation for Gina Melby,
CEO, JFK Medical Center, and in honor of my
mother, Joyce Williams. I am also grateful to
Phyllis DeBiase of Manhattan, New York.
EDITOR’S NOTE: While the title of this article
states that it is a “best-practice model,” this is
merely a description of one practice and Bariatric
Times does not endorse it as the only standard of
care.
REFERENCES1. Higa K. An Interview with Kelvin Higa, MD,
FACS. Bariatric Times. 2008.
http://bariatrictimes.com/an-interview-with-
kelvin-higa-md-facs/. Accessed April 16,
2013.
2. Anderson P. Higher-than-expected suicide
rate following bariatric surgery. Medscape
News Today. October 23, 2007.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/5647
18 Accessed April 16, 2013.
3. Pitombo C, Jones K, Higa K, Pareja J.
Obesity Surgery Principles and Practice.
McGraw Hill Medical, 2008: 75–81.
4. Oria HE, Moorehead MK. Updated
Bariatric Analysis and Reporting Outcome
System (BAROS). Surg Obes Relat Dis.
2009;5:60–66.
5. Frank RG, Baum A, Wallander JL, eds.
Handbook of Clinical Health Psychology,
Volume 3: Models and Perspectives in
Health Psychology. Washington, DC:
American Psychological Association; 2004.
FUNDING: No funding was provided.
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES: Dr. Moorehead is
the author of the The Gift and the Tool, the
Moorehead-Ardelt Quality of Life Questionnaire II
(MAII), and the Bariatric Analysis and Reporting
Outcome System (BAROS)
AUTHOR AFFILIATION
Dr. Moorehead is from JFK Medical Center, Lake
Worth, Florida.
ADDRESS FOR
CORRESPONDENCE
Dr. Melodie Moorehead,
www.drmoorehead.com;
E-mail: [email protected]
“I think the integrated program is the best choice for bariatricsurgery and is the best choice for people who are having thissurgery. All your questions and needs are met under one roof.”
“I have found that the multidisciplinary approach has been mosthelpful. It is so important to be able to air my feelings about allareas of my bariatric journey at one time. When I leave the office Iam completely confident that all of my concerns have been met.”
“Integrated care is a great idea. It puts all the services on the sameday-same trip basis, which is a great time saver and it keeps youfocused so all of your questions can be answered by the nurse,doctor, nutritionist, or psychologist. It is very easy to take care ofeverything all at one time. It is very convenient for me and ensuresthat no part of the process is overlooked.”
“The integrated healthcare model is better because it meets moreneeds than one without. There is more to obesity than just weightissues and the problem needs to be attacked from all angles to fixthe cause. Diets, lack of exercise, and psychological issues allcontribute to the problem so they should be addressed as the curetoo. People tend to take the easiest path and if it is nonintegrated,then certain issues may not be addressed.”
“I had adjustable gastric banding and it did not work out for meand I did not have any help after surgery. I feel that this (integratedhealthcare model) might be the right help I need.”
“I don’t believe I would have had nearly the same level of successwith a nonintegrated program. The availability of multipledisciplines in one location is fabulous and very convenient!”
“I found that the integrated experience that I had was verybeneficial to my progress. Having fellow members who have gonethrough the bariatric experience and access to mental healthprofessionals was extremely helpful. First learning from theveterans group as a newbee and then progressing through theprogram has made the experience very good.”
“An integrated plan for bariatric surgery is the key that unlocksyour potential for losing weight. The integrated approach combinesthe outside (food and exercise) with the inside (emotions,psychology, strategy, etc).”
PATIENT TESTIMONIALS ON INTEGRATEDHEALTHCARE AT JFK MEDICAL CENTER
26 Anesthetic Aspects of Bariatric Surgery Bariatric Times • May 2013
INTRODUCTIONEstimation of intravascular volume is
one of the most important clinical skills
of the anesthesiologist. Management of
the fluid balance in patients with
morbid obesity remains controversial,
which, to great extent, can be
attributed to the lack of randomized
controlled studies. Current paradigms
for fluid management in this patient
population are based on studies that
mostly compared liberal to restrictive
approaches in a nonobese population.
FLUID MANAGEMENT APPROCHES:BENEFITS AND RISKS
Liberal fluid management can
produce a positive fluid balance, weight
gain, and congestive heart failure while
a more restrictive approach may
increase the risk of acute tubular
necrosis and rhabdomyolysis. The
benefits of the liberal approach as
demonstrated in studies by Ettinger et
al,1 Schuster et al,2 and Oggunnaike et
al3 include the prevention of
rhabdomyolysis and a decrease in
postoperative nausea and vomiting.
Patients with more liberal fluid
management (40mL/kg vs. 15mL/kg
totak body weight [TBW]) also
produced significantly higher urine
output in the operating room, in the
post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), and
on Postoperative Days 0 and 1 as
demonstrated by Wool et al.4 However,
the same study failed to prove any
changes in the incidence of
rhabdomyolysis.4
On the other hand, a restrictive
approach to intra- and postoperative
fluid management has been advocated
by Brandstrup et al.5 Surgical patients
whose fluid balance was managed in the
more restrictive fashion demonstrated
faster recovery of gastrointestinal (GI)
function, better wound healing, and
improvement in pulmonary function
and tissue oxygenation. In the bariatric
setting, as proposed by McGlinch et al,6
limiting intravenous fluids reduced the
incidence of postoperative pulmonary
dysfunction and hypoxia, and
shortened hospital stay.
Recently, urine output as a guide for
perioperative fluid management has
been challenged. A study by Matot et al7
demonstrated low urine output in
bariatric patients regardless of relatively
high-volume fluid therapy. The authors
concluded that their results potentially
invalidate urine output as a reliable
indicator of the fluid status in the
patients with obesity and further
investigation is required.
Steep head-up (reverse
Trendelenburg) position in the
presence of pneumoperitoneum
represents another challenge for the
intraoperative assessment of fluid
balance. Under general anesthesia, this
position is associated with a gravity-
induced shift of blood volume to the
lower part of the body, which frequently
results in a significant decrease of
cardiac output and blood pressure.8,9
GUIDING PARAMETERS FORADMINISTERING FLUIDS TOPATIENTS WITH OBESITY
While administering fluids in patients
with morbid obesity undergoing
bariatric procedures or any other type
of surgeries, a promising technique is to
assess fluid responsiveness, and include
this parameter in the concept of goal-
directed therapy (GDT), as proposed
by many authors.10,11 GDT encompasses
a technique involving intensive
monitoring and aggressive management
of intraoperative hemodynamics. It is
based on the achievement of certain
values rather than estimating fluid
status and calculating interventions.
Fluid responsiveness is defined as an
ability of the heart to increase stroke
volume in response to volume
expansion.
Dynamic parameters such as pulse
pressure variation (PPV) and stroke
volume variation (SVV), derived from
arterial waveform analysis, have been
suggested as the most reliable
indicators of fluid responsiveness in
mechanically ventilated patients as long
as sinus rhythm is maintained. A recent
study by Jain and Dutta12 demonstrated
the value of SVV in the bariatric
population. PPV or SVV values greater
than 13 percent indicate fluid
responsiveness, while patients with PPV
below nine percent should be
considered nonresponders.12 Twenty-
five percent of the patients with PPV
value between 9 and 13 percent
represent the so called “gray zone,”
when fluid responsiveness cannot be
reliably predicted.13
Plethysmographic waveform
variation (PWV) obtained from the
pulse oximetry waveform is a
completely noninvasive dynamic
parameter that can also be used to
assess fluid responsiveness as described
by Pizov et al.14 Its noninvasive nature,
minimal additional cost, and practically
universal availability represents a major
benefit for its use. However, compared
to arterial waveform analysis, the
authors found some delay in detecting
hypovolemia. In other words, PWV may
be useful at levels of more profound
hypovolemia. There are other new
technologies for noninvasive
assessment of the cardiac output, PPV,
and SVV, such as the ccNexfin
(Edwards Lifesciences, Amsterdam,
Netherlands) that uses a finger cuff for
assessment of blood pressure and
derived variables. Based on a recent
publication by Fischer et al,16 this
technology was not sufficiently useful in
a postoperative cardiac surgical
population. On the other hand, early
results from intraoperative use in a
bariatric population suggest that
ccNexfin may be comparable to
invasive PPV determination.17
The FloTrac (Edwards Lifesciences)
is a minimally invasive system that
calculates vascular tone and cardiac
output by analyzing the waveform
derived from the arterial line. Along
with the SVV, it provides continuous CO
and central venous oxygen saturation
(ScvO2) if connected to a central
venous line. The additional parameters
provided by the FloTrac can be used in
bariatric patients with significant
cardiac comorbidities.
Pulse-contour analysis-based
techniques, such as PiCCO (Pulsion
Medical Systems SE, Munich, Germany)
are a comprehensive modality for
perioperative cardiovascular
assessment as they provide not only
real-time measurement of PPV, SVV,
and cardiac output, but also useful
newer parameters, such as Global End-
Diastolic Index, intrathoracic blood
Column Editor: Stephanie B. Jones, MD
Dr. Jones is Associate Professor, Harvard MedicalSchool and Vice Chair for Education, Department ofAnesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Beth IsraelDeaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.
THIS MONTH:
Intraoperative FluidAssessment in Patientswith Obesityby KONSTANTIN BALONOV, MD
Bariatric Times. 2013;10(5):26–27.
This ongoing column is authored by members of the International Society for the Perioperative Care of the Obese Patient (ISPCOP), an organization dedicated to the bariatric patient.
ANESTHETICASPECTS of Bariatric Surgery
ABSTRACTIntraoperative fluid management in morbidly obese patients remains a controversial andunder-researched topic. Minimizing the risk of the intraoperative complications requiresprecise assessment of the patient’s volume status. This article reviews current scientificviews and concepts regarding fluid management in morbid obesity. Goal-directed therapyappears to be the most accurate approach in guiding fluid management. Dynamicparameters such as pulse pressure variation are considered to be the most reliable in
assessing volume status and fluid responsiveness of the patient.
KEYWORDSbariatric surgery, fluids, intravascular volume
27Anesthetic Aspects of Bariatric SurgeryBariatric Times • May 2013
volume, and extravascular lung water.
This technology can be used in patients
when certain conditions (e.g.,
significant arrhythmia) limit use of PPV
or in high-risk patients with morbid
obesity undergoing high-risk surgical
procedures. Due to the high cost and
invasiveness, these devices are often
reserved for the sickest patients
undergoing major surgical
interventions.
CONCLUSIONWhen making decisions for
intraoperative fluid management in
patients with morbid obesity one should
consider the following:
1. Potentially high incidence of
rhabdomyolysis and acute tubular
necrosis
2. Beneficial effect of limiting
perioperative fluids on GI recovery
and hospital stay
3. In laparoscopic bariatric procedures,
urine output is an unreliable
indicator
4. Pneumoperitoneum and head-up
position have a significant negative
effect on venous return
5. In low-to-moderate risk patients
undergoing laparoscopic bariatric
procedures, PWV can be used to
estimate fluid responsiveness
6. Minimally invasive monitoring, such
as PPV, is a reliable indicator of fluid
responsiveness and should be used
widely in bariatric patients with
significant cardiac comorbidities or
undergoing more invasive surgery.
7. In high-risk patients with morbid
obesity undergoing high-risk surgical
procedures, consider the use of
advanced, invasive monitoring, such
as FloTrack or PiCCO
REFERENCES1. Ettinger JE, Filho PV, Azaro E, et al.
Prevention of rhabdomyolysis in bariatric
surgery. Obes Surg. 2005;15:874–879.
2. Schuster R, Alami RS, Curet MJ, et al.
Intra-operative fluid volume influences
postoperative nausea and vomiting after
laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery. Obes
Surg. 2006;16:848–851.
3. Ogunnaike BO, Jones SB, Jones DB, et al.
Anesthetic considerations for bariatric
surgery. Anesth Analg.
2002;95:1793–1805.
4. Wool DB, Lemmens HJM, Brodsky JB, et
al. Intraoperative fluid replacement and
postoperative creatine phosphokinase
levels in laparoscopic bariatric patients.
Obes Surg. 2010;20:698–701.
5. Brandstrup B, Tønnesen H, Beier-
Holgersen R, et al. Effects of intravenous
fluid restriction on postoperative
complications: comparison of two
perioperative fluid regimens. Ann Surg.
2003;238:641–648.
6. McGlinch BP, Que FG, Nelson JL, et al.
Perioperative care of patients undergoing
bariatric surgery. Mayo Clin Proc.
2006;81:S25–S33.
7. Matot I, Paskaleva R, Eid L, et al. Effect of
the volume of fluids administered on
intraoperative oliguria in laparoscopic
bariatric surgery. Arch Surg.
2012;147:228–234.
8. Gelman S. Venous function and central
venous pressure. A physiologic story.
Anesthesiology. 2008;108:735–748.
9. Smith BR, Nguyen NT. (2010)
Pathophysiology of the
pneumoperitoneum. In: Alvarez A, Brodsky
JB, Lemmens HJM, Morton JM, eds.
Morbid Obesity: Perioperative
Management. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press; 2010:44–52.
10. Chappell D, Jacob M, Hoffmann-Kiefer K,
et al. A rational approach to perioperative
fluid management. Anesthesiology.
2008;109:723–740.
11. Lopes MR, Oliveira MA, Pereira VO, et al.
Goal-directed fluid management based on
pulse pressure variation monitoring during
high-risk surgery: a pilot randomized
controlled trial. Crit Care. 2007;11:R100.
12. Jain AK, Dutta A. Stroke volume variation
as a guide for fluid management in
morbidly obese patients undergoing
laparoscopic bariatric surgery. Obes Surg.
2010;20:709–715.
13. Cannesson M, Le Manach Y, Hofer CK, et
al. Assessing the diagnostic accuracy of
pulse pressure variations for the prediction
of fluid responsiveness. A “gray zone”
approach. Anesthesiology.
2011;115:231–241.
14. Pizov R, Eden A, Bystritsky D, et al.
Arterial and plethysmographic waveform
analysis in anesthetized patients with
hypovolemia. Anesthesiology.
2010;113:83–91.
15. Forget P, Lois F, de Kock M. Goal-directed
fluid management based on the pulse
oximeter-derived pleth variability index
reduces lactate levels and improves fluid
management. Anesth Analg.
2010;111:910–914.
16. Fisher MO, Coucoravas J, Truong J, et al.
Assessment of changes in cardiac index
and fluid responsiveness: a comparison of
Nexfin and transpulmonary. Acta
Anaesthesiol Scand. 2013 Mar 25 [Epub
ahead of print]
17. Personal communication, Roman
Schumann, MD, Tufts Medical Center,
04/03/2013.
FUNDING: No funding was provided.
DISCLOSURES: The authors do not have any
conflicts on interest relevant to the content of
this article.
AUTHOR AFFILIATION
Dr. Balonov is Assistant Professor of
Anesthesiology, Tufts University School of
Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Tufts
Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.
ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE
Konstantin Balonov, MD, 800 Washington St.,
Box #298, Boston, MA 02111; Phone: (617)-
636-0544; Fax: (617)-638-8384; E-mail:
28 Interview Bariatric Times • May 2013
Dr. Herron, thank you for takingthe time to talk with us aboutObesity Week. Please sharewith us how you becameinvolved in bariatric surgery.
I was a resident of at Tufts
Medical Center (which was called
New England Medical Center at the
time) in Boston, Massachusetts.
They had a great bariatric program,
so I got a very intensive introduction
to bariatric surgery with Drs. Scott
Shikora and Peter Benotti . I have
vivid memories of assisting Dr.
Shikora, as a chief resident, in his
first several laparoscopic gastric
bypass procedures. At that time,
laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery
was the most challenging minimally
invasive operation we could
imagine—the Mount Everest of
laparoscopic surgery. Beyond the
technical challenges of the surgery,
what appealed to me about bariatric
surgery was seeing patients’
comorbid conditions, such as type 2
diabetes mellitus (T2DM),
obstructive sleep apnea (OSA,) and
hypertension, improve or even
vanish after bariatric surgery. It is a
life-changing process and I felt it
was a perfect place to be for a
surgeon like myself who really
wanted to help patients in a visible
and dramatic way.
Please tell us about your role inthe planning of this event.
I currently serve as Co-Chair if
the Program Committee for the
ASMBS. I have a history in meeting
planning for other organizations as
well. In 2010, I was the Program
Chair for the Society of American
Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic
Surgeons (SAGES) and the World
Congress of Endoscopic Surgery. As
ASMBS Program Co-chair, I work
closely with Dr. Ninh Nguyen, who is
currently ASMBS Program Chair and
President-Elect. Next term, when
Dr. Nguyen becomes ASMBS
President, I will step up as ASMBS
Program Chair. In planning Obesity
Week, I am responsible for setting
up the post-graduate courses while
Dr. Nguyen manages plenary
sessions. All of the sessions have to
be planned far in advance. We keep
on schedule during monthly
conference calls, where we discuss
what has been done and what still
needs to be done. It is a huge
undertaking and is now an even
bigger job since we are interfacing
with The Obesity Society to host
Obesity Week.
How is the Board of Managersplanning on appealing to allaudiences during ObesityWeek? Is there any overlapbetween sessions or eventsheld by both organizations thatyou can tell us about? While surgeons will most likely want
to hear about surgery and members
of integrated health will want to
hear about topics most concerning
to their profession, Obesity Week
will offer sessions and events that
appeal to all attendees. For instance,
we are looking into having keynote
speakers involved in national health
decisions, which will bring everyone
together. The post-graduate courses
will focus on both surgery and
integrated health, so there is sure to
be a lot of parallel play and
combined interaction.
Would you encourage attendeesof Obesity Week to exploreareas of the field in which theydo not work (e.g., medicalweight loss professionalsattending sessions on surgicalinterventions?)
Absolutely. Obesity Week will be a
tremendous opportunity for
attendees to be exposed to a
remarkable interdisciplinary faculty
of international experts. I would
encourage people to attend different
sessions outside their specialty to
learn as much as possible. Even
though it might be scary to walk into
a session on surgery if you are an
internist, knowledge of other
disciplines can help you better
customize patient care. If a surgeon
can use this meeting to gain a better
understanding of medical
interventions, he or she will be
better equipped to understand and
treat patients who might be better
suited for non-surgical metabolic
therapies and vice versa.
What is your hope for ObesityWeek 2013?
My hope, and my expectation, is
that it will be a huge success. I hope
that it mirrors other successful
interdisciplinary meetings of its kind
like Digestive Diseases Week
(DDW). I feel it is a great
opportunity for everyone involved in
treating obesity to get together and
discuss what is going on in the field.
I hope that it will raise internists’
awareness of surgery and vice versa.
COUNTDOWN TO OBESITY WEEK 2013
Interview #5: Daniel Herron, MD, FACSBariatric Times. 2013;10(5):28–29.
Starting in 2013, the
American Society for
Metabolic and Bariatric
Surgery (ASMBS) and The
Obesity Society (TOS) will co-
locate their respective annual
meetings under one roof.
Obesity Week™ 2013 marks the
beginning of an annual
collaborative event addressing
obesity—a chronic and
multifaceted metabolic disease.
Leading up to Obesity Week
2013, Bariatric Times will
feature interviews with
members of the leadership
team involved in organizing
this historic event. This month,
we feature an interview with Dr.
Daniel Herron, Program Co-
Chair of ASMBS.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW SERIES
29InterviewBariatric Times • May 2013
I also hope that is improves
everyone’s understanding of the
physiological causes and effects of
obesity and its treatments.
Ultimately, I hope that Obesity Week
takes advantage of the synergy and
overlap of disciplines, conserves
resources, and brings minds
together that are focused on the
same thing—the prevention and
treatment of obesity.
What would you say toencourage people to attendObesity Week 2013?
It is going to be the first time in
history where thousands of people
from different obesity-related
disciplines are side-by-side learning
about and discussing surgical and
medical interventions for metabolic
disease and obesity. You just can’t
miss it!
Dr. Herron, thank you again forspeaking with us. We lookforward to seeing you atObesity Week 2013.
To learn more about Obesity Week
2013, please visit
www.obesityweek.com.
Obesity Week Upcoming Dates
and Venues
Obesity Week 2013
Atlanta, Georgia
November 11–16
Obesity Week 2014
Boston, Massachusetts
November 2–7
Obesity Week 2015
Los Angeles, California
November 1–7
The 30th Annual
Meeting of the
ASMBS will be
moved to
November 11–16,
2013 and will
take place during
Obesity Week in
Atlanta, Georgia!
We look forward
to seeing you
there!
A REMINDER
FROM THE
AMERICAN
SOCIETY OF
METABOLIC AND
BARIATRIC
SURGERY
www.obesityweek.com
Calendar of Events30Bariatric Times • May 2013
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
VII CONGRESO INTERNACIONAL DECIRUGÍA BARIATRICA Y METABÓLICAMay 2–4, 2013
Mendoza, Argentina
http://www.congresobariatrica.com.ar/
index.php
AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR METABOLICAND BARIATRIC SURGERY SPRINGEDUCATIONAL EVENTMay 30–June 2, 2013
New Orleans, Louisiana
http://asmbs.org/2012/11/spring-
educational-event-2013/
18TH WORLD CONGRESS OF THEINTERNATIONAL FEDERATION FORTHE SURGERY OF OBESITY ANDMETABOLIC DISORDERS (IFSO)August 28–31, 2013
Istanbul, Turkey
http://www.ifso2013.com
YOUR WEIGHT MATTERS NATIONALCONVENTIONAugust 15–18, 2013
Phoenix, Arizona
http://www.ywmconvention.com/
AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS99TH ANNUAL CLINICAL CONGRESSOctober 6–10, 2013
Washington, DC
http://www.facs.org/clincon2013/index
.html
OBESITY WEEK 2013November 11–16, 2013
Atlanta, Georgia
http://www.obesityweek.com/
THE SCIENCE AND BUSINESS OFWEIGHT MANAGEMENT FOR THENEW OR EXPERIENCEDPRACTITIONERJuly 25–27, 2013
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
http://www.weightconference.com/
THE BARIATRIC ALLIED HEALTHPROFESSIONAL’S ROLE IN AMULTIDISCIPLINARY SPECIALTYJuly 13, 2013
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
http://www.ClevelandClinicFloridaCM
E.org
Marketplace, Ad Index 31Bariatric Times • May 2013
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