Welcome to the 10th Anniversary Edition of Bariatric Times

Dear Friends, Colleagues and Readers of Bariatric Times,
By the time you get this landmark issue of BT, the countdown to Obesity Week will be over and the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) will come  together for the first time with The Obesity Society (TOS) in Atlanta, Georgia, to host the annual clinical congress. This conference promises to be an outstanding scientific gathering.
Here, we will celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the ASMBS. I would like to thank Dr. Ed Mason, father of bariatric surgery, for his wonderful legacy. In this month’s installment of his column, which is hosted by Tracy Martinez, Dr. Mason discusses the mechanisms of action of bariatric procedures and alternative treatment modalities of diabetes. Do not miss this wonderful column.

We have an excellent and informative report in this month’s “Hot Topics in Integrated Health,” edited by Karen Schulz, RN, CBN, MSN. Dr. Dene Berman brings to our attention the diagnosing of binge eating disorder in bariatric patients and notes that the criteria will change with the introduction of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. Berman conducted a survey in 50 patients with severe obesity who were candidates for bariatric surgery. I was stunned to learn that in that survey, only three percent of subjects met the criteria of having some sort of binge eating disorder. I would have thought this number to be significantly higher.

Dr. Jaime Ponce, current ASMBS president, and his colleauges present an outstanding algorithm on how to manage complications after adjustable gastric banding. This is probably the best article of its kind that I have ever read. We take this opportunity to thank Jaime for the outstanding term he served as president of ASMBS and wish him continued success in his bariatric practice.

In “Checklists in Bariatric Surgery,” we present the Cleveland Clinic Florida classification of bowel obstruction after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). We are convinced that it is imperative for emergency room physicians and general surgeons to better understand and learn to differentiate the diagnostic and treatment algorithm of what can be a devastating complication if not treated in a timely fashion.

In this month’s “Bariatric Center Spotlight,” we feature Lafayette General Medical Center’s Bariatric Program in Lafayette, Louisiana, headed by Dr. Philip Gachassin and his wonderful team. It is so nice to learn that an institution with over 100 years of excellence in delivering state-of-the-art medical care has a bariatric program as a separate specialty. I hope someone from Medicare special committee will read this spotlight and understand that not every surgeon in the United States should be doing bariatric surgery. In my opinion, bariatric surgery practice should be reserved mainly for those who have the appropriate training and allied health team.
Also in this issue, Stuart Michaelson gives us a synopsis of Dr. Phil Schauer’s 2013 Minimally Invasive Surgery Symposium (MISS). Mark your calendars for the next MISS symposium that will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada, February 26 to March 1, 2014.
Don’t miss my interview with Dr. Ninh Nguyen, incoming president of ASMBS, in this month’s “Ask the Experts.” We wish Ninh the best of luck as president in what promises to be an exciting year for ASMBS.

I would like to add that it was encouraging to read the article presented in USA Today stating that the prevalence of obesity in the United States is leveling off after several decades of skyrocketing growth. New government data from 2012 showed that about 34.9 percent of the people in this country were obese, which is roughly 35 pounds over a healthy weight. That is not significantly different from the 35.7 percent who were obese in 2010. In both 2010 and 2012, about 78 million adults were obese, and more than 50 million of those were Caucasian, according to the latest statistics from the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is certainly not great news, but is still an encouraging trend.

Lastly, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Bob Dougherty, Publisher of Bariatric Times, and his team at Matrix Medical Communications on the 10th anniversary of Bariatric Times. I can still remember that day 10 years ago—I was sitting at a Starbucks Café and being interviewed by Bob during the annual ASBS meeting in San Diego, California. We were discussing the idea of creating a magazine that would serve the needs of bariatric surgeons and integrated health professionals. I am thankful for having been given this great opportunity to help develop this publication, which I am certain you will continue to cherish for years to come.
I look forward to seeing you all in Atlanta, Georgia! Safe travels.
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

Erratum
In the October 2013 issue of Bariatric Times, Dr. Rosenthal’s Editorial stated:
‘Our theory why this happens is similar to the one observed in acute abdominal compartment syndrome—decreased intraabdominal pressure resulting in decreased intracranial pressure that will result in decreased release of vasopressin.”
This section should have stated:
“Our theory why this happens is similar to the one observed in acute abdominal compartment syndrome—increased intraabdominal pressure resulting in increased intracranial pressure that will result in increased release of vasopressin and decreased urine output.”

Tags: Dr. Raul Rosenthal

Category: Editorial Message, Past Articles