First Annual Canadian Bariatric Surgery Summit

Toronto, Ontario, December 2–3, 2011

by Karthik Raj, BA

Karthik Raj is the Research Project Coordinator, Surgical Education and Innovation, Department Of Surgery, St. Michael’s-Li Ka Shing International Healthcare Education Centre, Toronto, Ontaroio.

FUNDING: No funding was provided.

DISCLOSURES: The author reports no conflicts of interest relevant to the content of this article.

Bariatric Times. 2012;9(3):20

The first annual Canadian Bariatric Surgery Summit convened December 2 to 3, 2011, at the Li Ka Shing International Healthcare Education Centre at St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Ontario. Attendees included general and bariatric surgeons, bariatric physicians, primary care physicians, pediatricians, nurses, hospital administrators, nutritionists, dietitians, and other allied health professionals interested in the medical and surgical advancements and management of clinically severe obesity.

The summit, led by Summit Director Dr. Teodor Grantcharov, featured a distinguished international faculty of leaders in bariatric surgery and patient care who provided a comprehensive overview of leading clinical and technical innovations related to the treatment of severe obesity.

The summit kicked off Thursday morning with a presentation by Dr. Raj Padwal (University of Alberta, Edmonton) on the treatments, mechanisms, outcomes, and impact on the healthcare system for morbid obesity. Dr. Raj Aggarwal (Imperial College, London, United Kingdom) followed with the topic of gastric bypass. The morning session also included talks by Dr. Laurent Biertho (Laval University, Quebec City) on selection, tips, safety, and long-term results of the duodonal switch. Dr. Jack Langer discussed the role of bariatric surgery for adolescents. Once all the morning talks were wrapped up, all the speakers participated in a panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Grantcharov, and answered questions from the audience.
Professor Peter Funch Jensen (Hamlet Hospital, Denmark) performed a live demonstration of the omega-loop technique for gastric bypass. The procedure was broadcast from the operating room in St. Michael’s Hospital to the Auditorium in the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute. The interactive discussion with the audience was moderated by Dr. Ori Rotstein.

The theme for the afternoon session on Friday focused on perioperative management. Dr. Robert Zadik (Humber River Regional Hospital) reviewed the anesthesiological considerations for the bariatric patient. Dr. Nicolas Christou shared his experience in the organizational issues associated with establishing a comprehensive bariatric program. Other presentations included “Medical Assessment and Pre-Operative Optimization,” by Dr. Stephen Glazer (Humber River Regional Hospital) and “Perioperative and Long-term Nutritional issues” by Megan Arigano (Tufts Medical Centre, Boston). Dr. Sanjeev Sockalingam (University Health Network, Toronto) concluded the afternoon session with a talk on the psychological assessment for the bariatric patient.

The second day of the summit started out with four break-out sessions in the morning. The nursing break-out was moderated by Nancy Berthiaume (Windsor Regional Hospital) and Cindy Eikens-Stafford (St. Michael’s Hospital). Topics focused on running a regional assessment-training centre, and managing bariatric patients on the floor and in the operating room. The dietitian break-out, moderated by Meghan Arigano, concentrated on vitamin and protein supplement guidelines, methods to helping failing patients get back on track, review of various eating disorders, and included interactive case studies. The break-out session for surgeons, moderated by Dr. Teodor Grantcharov, featured talks by Dr. Raul Rosenthal, Dr. Laz Klein, Dr. Joe Mamazza, and Dr. Nicolas Christou. Topics included, revisions after failed or complicated bariatric procedures and complex surgical case scenarios.

The final break-out session was moderated by Dr. Sanjeev Sockalingam and included talks on psychosocial issues and interventions in bariatric surgery and severe eating pathology.

The afternoon of the final day wrapped up with closing talks and arguments by Doctors Padwal, Okranec, Funch-Jensen, and Aggarwal on the future of metabolic surgery, bariatric surgery for patients with a BMI less than 35kg/m2, management of complications after LAGB, and robotic and other experimental techniques.

The overall program was very well received and course director Dr. Grantcharov concluded that this successful multidisciplinary event will become an annual educational offering to the international bariatric community.

Photos:
Live demonstration of the Omega-loop technique from St.Michael’s operating room

L Li Ka Shing International Healthcare Education Centre at St. Michael’s Hospital,
Toronto, Ontario

Category: Past Articles, Symposium Synopsis