by Daniel M. Herron, MD and Adheesh Sabnis, MD

Column Editor: Marc Bessler, MD

The following is the first column in a series that will appear quarterly in Bariatric Times. This column will investigate current research in the surgical and clinical aspects of obesity treatment, and will educate bariatric care professionals on the most up-to-date, concrete information in the field of obesity treatment.

The leadoff article in this series is written by Dr. Daniel M. Herron and Dr. Adheesh Sabnis, from the Section of Bariatric Surgery at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.

Dr. Marc Bessler, a leading authority in the surgical treatment of obesity, is the Column Editor of this series, and Surgical Director, New York-Presbyterian Hospital Center for Obesity Surgery, and Assistant Professor of Surgery, Department of Surgery, Director of Laparoscopic Surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York. He has spoken at numerous forums and has published on a variety of topics pertaining to surgical management of obesity.

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Robert E. Grant is the Corporate Vice President and President of Allergan Medical, a position he has held since joining Allergan in June of 2006.

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by Tracy Martinez, RN, BSN

Ms. Martinez is Program Coordinator of Wittgrove Bariatric Center, La Jolla, California.

Introduction
Morbid obesity is a chronic disease for which we have no cure. However; bariatric surgery is the most effective and powerful intervention currently known in medicine. Postoperative weight gain, however, is possible and will be seen by every practitioner in every program.
Weight loss results are individual, but different bariatric surgical procedures have ranges of expected weight loss. Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) weight loss is 61.6 percent, standard gastric bypass is 68.2 percent, and biliopancreatic diversion is 70 percent. Weight loss is also dependent on patient selection, education, and long-term follow-up.1 (Figure 1. The Clinical Pathway at Wittgrove Bariatric Center.)

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