A recent research conducted at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota has concluded that obese patients can consider bariatric surgery for reducing the risk of adverse cardiovascular events. This is the first ever study to take into account validated scores for cardiovascular risk on a patient population and compare them with previous results. The results showed that cardiovascular risk was reduced by up to 79 per cent.

Researchers are studying the case of a 27-year-old woman who developed a vitamin deficiency after failing to take multivitamins post- gastric bypass surgery. After two months of an uncomplicated surgery for weight loss at the University College Hospital, London she suffered from dizziness, vomiting and low-appetite. Also, prescribed lansoprazole (drug for prevention of acid production in stomach), the patient was found to be deficient in these medications. Only after physicians administered thiamine (Vitamin B1), the patient recovered.

GI Dynamics has announced that the new data on its novel non-invasive device to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes, EndoBarrier™, currently in the clinical trial phase, will be presented soon. The EndoBarrier Gastrointestinal Liner will be a new sign of hope for the 99% of patients qualified as clinically obese and do not want to go for bariatric surgery. The data will be put forward at the International Federation for Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO) 13th World Congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

According to American researchers, bariatric surgery patients with two obesity-related genetic variations are more likely to be obese compared to others. Published in the journal, Archives of Surgery, researchers analyzed patients’ blood samples for two common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are known to be connected with obesity. The research may offer new hope for patients who do not lose weight even after undergoing bariatric surgery.

According to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, obese adolescents who choose to undergo weight loss surgery showed significant improvement in their heart’s size and functioning after a period of time. The heart abnormality reversal was more likely to happen in teenagers than in adults.

NewHope Bariatrics has launched an outpatient weight-loss surgery venture with Dr. David Voellinger, a Charlotte physician who was the first to perform Lap-Band surgery in the Charlotte area.

Voellinger will perform Lap-Band outpatient procedures at the local offices of Surgical Care Affiliates. The procedure is performed laparoscopically, typically in less than one hour, and patients return home the same day. Unlike a gastric bypass procedure, use of the band is adjustable and reversible.

More information here.