Posted by Adam Yarbrough on Wed, Sep 14, 2011 @ 01:54 PM
Weight Loss Surgical Center is now accepting Missouri Medicaid patients in the Missouri HealthNet program, as is Blue Valley Hospital, where its surgeries are performed.
Missouri HealthNet participants should have a card similar to the one pictured to the left.
People with Missouri HealthNet who are interested in getting an adjustable gastric band, commonly known by the brand names LAP-BAND System or REALIZE Band Solution, should be aware of the state's requirements for gastric band surgery for weight loss.
To be qualified for weight loss surgery, patients must:
- Have a Body Mass Index of 40 or higher
- Have at least one weight-related health conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, gastric reflux, sleep apnea, etc.
Posted by Adam Yarbrough on Thu, Jul 07, 2011 @ 02:48 PM
Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation issued their annual obesity report today, and it ranked Kansas and Missouri in the top 20.
Missouri ranked as the 11th most obese state, while Kansas ranked 16th. The most obese states centered in the south. Mississippi ranked as the nation's most obese state.
Slightly more than 30 percent of Missouri residents are obese, placing the state just behind Michigan. 29 percent of Kansans are obese, more than doubling the amount of Kansans considered obese only 15 years ago.
Other states with Weight Loss Surgical Center LAP-BAND Clinics include Iowa, which ranked 20th, with 28.1% of its population being obese and Nebraska, which ranked 24th with 27.6% of its population being obese.
The report notes that adult obesity rates increased in 16 states this year and did not decline in any state. While four years ago only one state had obesity rates above 30 percent, today 12 states now have obesity rates over 30 percent. Obesity rates exceed 25 percent in more than two-thirds of states.
Much more detailed information about the report can be found at the Trust for America's Health website.
Posted by Adam Yarbrough on Mon, Jun 20, 2011 @ 11:53 AM
In the June ASMBS-issue of Bariatric Times, Allergan, the makers of the LAP-BAND System, launched a new professional promotional campaign entitled: “The BOLD Facts”.
This new campaign features LAGB’s Total Complication rate vs. Sleeve Gastrectomy and Gastric Bypass within one year of discharge from the “Baseline data from ASMBS-designated Bariatric Surgery Centers of Excellence using the Bariatric Outcomes Longitudinal Database.” The study on bariatric surgeries was published by Eric J. DeMaria, M.D. in SOARD May 30, 2009.
The Bariatric Outcomes Longitudinal DatabaseSM (BOLDSM) was developed to help ensure ongoing compliance with the center of excellence (COE) programs it administers and develop general knowledge about optimal bariatric surgery practices. BOLD is now the largest and most comprehensive repository of clinical bariatric surgery patient information.
The upshot of the first ad in this campaign is that laparoscopic bands have lower total complication rates when compared to gastric sleeves or gastric bypass surgeries.
Despite the claims about the safety of the sleeve and bypass, the band still comes out ahead in this study on a very large sample of patients across the nation.
The graphic below spells it out, but it bears repeating: Gastric sleeve surgeries had three times the complication rate of bands, and gastric bypass surgeries had four times the rate of complication compared to LAP-BAND Surgeries.
If you're interested in learning more about the safer bariatric surgery option, check out our page that compares LAP-BAND, Bypass and Sleeves and get free information about LAP-BAND Surgery.
Posted by Adam Yarbrough on Mon, May 23, 2011 @ 11:42 AM
Here are some news briefs on the obesity front from the weekend covering everything from a study about brain proteins' effect on weight to using bariatric surgery to treat metabolic diseases.
KC-Area Benefits Company Argues in Support of Bariatric Surgery Benefits: Midwestern Benefits Company Lockton has released a report encouraging employers to offer weight loss surgery benefits in addition to wellness programs.
Obesity regulating gene found? London researchers have identified a gene they claim regulates obesity. The gene was previously known to be linked to cholesterol and type 2 diabetes. This study found that it also influenced other genes that regulate BMI (body mass index), cholesterol and glucose and insulin levels. The study, which was pubished in Nature Genetics offers hopes for new treatments for metabolic diseases.
Overweight? It's all in your head:A story from the Weizmann Institute of Science, published in the May issue of Cell Metabolism, followed mice that were engineered to lack the protein tyrosine phosphatase epsilon (PTPe) and found that without PTPe, mice were better able to regulate their weight. They found that PTPe dampens signals from the hormone leptin in the hypothalamus, leading to reduced appetite and increased physical activity. Researchers know that obese people tend to have an exess of leptin in their blood.
The results of the study suggest that another part of the obesity puzzle involves leptin insensitivity and if scientists could inhibit PTPe, it could improve leptin response to reduce appetite and increase physical activity. Think about that next time someone says that you simply need to eat less and exercise more.
Can video games contribute to obesity? Danish and Canadian researchers watched teenage boys who played video games and compared them to similar boys who were not playing video games. If they played for an hour, video gamers would burn an extra 21 calories compared to the others, but when offered a snack, they would eat 80 more calories than the kids who did not play video games.
Parents in Oman Worried about Childhood Obesity, School Lunches: Parents of children in Oman are fighting problems familiar in America: the impact of school lunches on childhood obesity. Specifically, they are looking to remove low-quality meats, french fries and fizzy drinks from private schoole menus.
Bariatric Surgery recommended for Metabolic Diseases: with recent recommendations from the FDA and the American Heart Association, lowering the Body Mass Index specifications for people to get weight loss surgery if they suffer from diabetes, the mainstream media is starting to pay attention.
From the Orlando Sentinel:
One review study of 3,188 obese, Type 2 diabetics who had bariatric surgery found that 78 percent of them no longer had diabetes afterward, according to a 2009 report published in the American Journal of Medicine. And the disease still had not returned by the two-year follow-up.
Another randomized study of obese Type 2 diabetics, published in 2008 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that 73 percent of those who had gastric-banding procedures achieved remission of their diabetes, compared with only 13 percent using lifestyle and medication to treat their diabetes.
It is, however, important to note that one can never be rid entirely of diabetes and that remission is always a possibility. It is also important to note that while the article speaks of various bariatric procedures, surgeons at Weight Loss Surgical Center perform only laparascopic adjustable gastric banding, which does not involve cutting, stapling or re-routing of your digestive tract.
Alcohol addiction risk with gastric bypass: A study of a Sweedish database of bariatric patients revealed that bypass patients were twice as likely to need treatment for alcohol addiction. The article explains that bypassing part of the digestive tract allows for faster alcohol absorption and increased risk of dependency.
If you're suffering from the dangerous combination of obesity and diabetes, weight loss surgery may be an option to help. Learn more about diabetes and LAP-BAND Surgery today.
Posted by Adam Yarbrough on Wed, May 18, 2011 @ 10:37 AM
A new series of advertisements for the LAP-BAND® System is running now in national magazines, including Better Homes and Gardens, Every Day with Rachel Ray, Good Housekeeping and more.
Our LAP-BAND® Representative sent us a couple samples of from the ad series, below.
What do you think of the new ads? Tell us in the comments!
Posted by Adam Yarbrough on Thu, May 12, 2011 @ 09:02 AM
From medicalbillingandcoding.com, this infographic is a bit dramatic, but it has some interesting information about the negative health consequences of sitting all day.
The most staggering claim in the inforgraphic is the item on obesity rates doubling for people who have desk jobs. Also, note that the piece is well-cited, with a whole bunch of useful resources at the bottom if you're interested in more detailed reading.
Via:
Medical">http://www.medicalbillingandcoding.org">Medical Billing And Coding
Posted by Adam Yarbrough on Wed, Apr 06, 2011 @ 12:09 PM
In our final interview segment with Chuck from our Independence, Missouri Lap Band office, Chuck discusses how stories from the Independence Lap Band Clinic's Weight Loss Support Group helped him decide that the band was right for him.
After his initial decision, he has continued to be an active member of the group and has developed strong, supportive relationships. He believes that others in the group inspire him to be successful, and he hopes that his own experience encourages others.
Chuck also goes on to discuss how Weight Loss Surgical Center's Independence Lap Band clinic have been able to help him beyond his regular appointments and support groups.
He says that it's helpful to have an employee with his own lap band working in the clinic, because his first-hand experience has been beneficial to helping Chuck overcome his own obstacles.
If you have had or are considering lap band surgery for weight loss in the Independence, Missouri, area, join our Independence Lap Band Support Group to get the most out of your weight loss journey.
Posted by Adam Yarbrough on Thu, Mar 31, 2011 @ 09:03 AM
Our LAP-BAND Specialist in Wichita passed along information this morning about the Food and Drug Administration's announcement of a voluntary recall of several protein-based supplements.
Many LAP-BAND and REALIZE Band Patients use protein supplements, so this could be important to some of our readers.
According to the FDA release, Universal Nutrition is recalling specific lot numbers for Gain Fast, LAVA, Real Gains, Super Whey Pro, Torrent, Ultra Mass 4500, Ultra Whey Pro and Uni-Syn. The products contain some whey protein that was potentially contaminated with Salmonella.
If you currently use any of these products, please read the full release for details.
Posted by Adam Yarbrough on Wed, Mar 30, 2011 @ 12:09 PM
Chucks 100+ pound lap band weight loss is an inspiring story, but it gets even more inspiring when he discusses how he is now able to interact with his family.
He discusses the discomfort of being an obese man at family events, feeling as though people might judge him for his food choices. Now, minus 100 pounds, he loves going to family events and welcomes attention that he used to shun.
Life with his children has become more interactive and meaningful, and he discusses his wife and his shopping mall fashion shows and his daughter's desires for him to wear "skinny jeans" to look like Justin Beiber.
Finally, Chuck talks about how he hopes that his own lap band success story can inspire his wife as she begins her own weight loss surgery journey.
If you need help losing weight and would like to start your own weight loss journey, request your initial consultation with Weight Loss Surgical Center today.
Posted by Adam Yarbrough on Tue, Mar 29, 2011 @ 01:42 PM
Today, we announced that Dr. Thomas Hitchcock has joined Weight Loss Surgical Center as our fourth surgeon on our team specializing in laparoscopic adjustable gastric band procedures to help patients lose weight and keep it off.
Dr. Thomas Hitchcock is now performing LAP-BAND® Surgeries and follow-up care only at Weight Loss Surgical Center.
“Weight Loss Surgical Center is the only surgery practice in the Kansas City area that is currently specializing exclusively in adjustable gastric band surgery for weight loss,” said Dr. Hitchcock. "I believe that adjustable gastric bands are still the safest, most effective and the healthiest option over the long term.”
Dr. Hitchcock was involved with a variety of surgical procedures developed for weight loss through the years. He spent 3 decades helping people suffering from morbid obesity and has worked specifically with adjustable gastric band patients since 2004.
He is a Board Certified General Surgeon, a member of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
Dr. Hitchcock joins Dr. Lawrence Drahota, Dr. Scott Ellison and Dr. Stanley Augustin with privileges to perform weight loss surgery for us at Blue Valley Hospital.
We have clinics in Overland Park, Topeka and Wichita, Kan.; Springfield, St. Peters, Independence and Kansas City, Mo.; West Des Moines and Council Bluffs, Iowa; and Omaha, Neb., for initial consultations and long-term post-operative follow-up care.
You can find out if you qualify for the adjustable gastric band procedure and learn more it by taking the our free weight loss surgery seminar.