Position Statement on Sleeve Gastrectomy

Here is some information regarding bariatric surgery that was recently released and provided to me by one of our medical doctors in Tijuana.

Guidelines and policy statements: An Aetna Clinical Policy Bulletin on Obesity Surgery considers sleeve gastrectomy to be an investigational procedure.2 The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (http://www.asbs.org) issued a “Position Statement on Sleeve Gastrectomy as a Bariatric Procedure” in June, 2007. Based on similar findings from their evidence review, they stated the following:

“The ASMBS recognizes performance of sleeve gastrectomy may be an option for carefully selected patients undergoing bariatric surgical treatment, particularly those who are high risk or super-super-obese, and that the concept of staged bariatric surgery may have value as a risk reduction strategy in high-risk populations. It is suggested that surgeons performing sleeve gastrectomy prospectively collect and report outcome data for this procedure in the scientific literature. In addition, it is suggested that surgeons performing sleeve gastrectomy inform patients regarding the lack of published evidence for sustained weight loss beyond 3 years and provide them with information regarding alternative procedures with published long-term (≥ 5 years) data confirming sustained weight loss and comorbidity resolution based upon available literature at this time"

To see whole article go to www.destinationnewyou.com