Will the new surgical technique help gastric bypass patients manage their weight? Does this new technique allow surgical revisions that are less expensive, less technically difficult to perform and less risky for the by-pass patient? Can the new and less invasive procedure correct a key cause of weight regain and get the patients back on the road to good health?
The Oregon Clinic announced that Dr. Lee Swanstrom and a team of TOC surgeons are performing a new incisionless procedure to help patients reverse weight gain that can occur several years after gastric bypass surgery. Dr. Swanstrom and his team are one of the first groups of surgeons in the U.S. to offer the Incisionless procedure, which several physicians have coined “ROSE” (Restorative Obesity Surgery, Endolumenally). Dr. Swanstrom and his team are performing ROSE as part of an ongoing research study in which surgeries are conducted at Providence Portland Medical Center…
By eliminating skin incisions, this new technique may provide important advantages to patients, including, reduced risk of infection and associated complications, less post-operative pain, faster recovery time, and no abdominal scars.
Following initial gastric bypass surgery, most patients lose a significant amount of weight and experience a reduction in many weight-related health risks. However, it is estimated that several years after their original bypass surgery, up to 20% of patients may experience some weight regain. This weight regain may occur because the stomach pouch and stoma (the connection between the stomach pouch and small intestine) have gradually enlarged, reducing the restriction that helps the patient feel full and limits food intake.
To perform the ROSE procedure the Oregon Clinic surgeons use a small flexible endoscope and a new EndoSurgical Operating System™ (EOS) developed by USGI Medical Inc. The scope and the EOS are inserted through the mouth and into the stomach pouch. The EOS tools are then used to grasp tissue and deploy suture anchors to create multiple, circumferential tissue folds around the stoma, reducing the diameter of the opening. If needed, additional anchors are then placed in the stomach pouch to reduce its volume capacity. No cuts are made into the patient’s skin during the procedure.
Ideal candidates for the ROSE procedure are patients who were initially successful losing weight after their gastric bypass and now are regaining weight. After an initial screening, candidates undergo a series of evaluations including nutritional and dietary counseling, a full medical exam and endoscopy to determine if they are good candidates.
More than 11 million people in the United States suffer from severe obesity and the numbers continue to increase. Several serious diseases and conditions are commonly associated with obesity, including, type II diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease. Surgical treatment of obesity has increased significantly in recent years. It is estimated that over 200,000 individuals in the United States will undergo bariatric surgery in 2007.
Patients interested in the research study and surgery can contact Dr. Lee Swanstrom at the Gastrointestinal and Minimally Invasive Surgery (GMIS) division of The Oregon Clinic.
About The Oregon Clinic
The Oregon Clinic is one of the largest private specialty physician practices in Oregon. An evidence-based, multidisciplinary organization, The Oregon Clinic provides the highest quality care using a team approach to address medical conditions in the areas of cardiology, gastroenterology, neurology, pulmonology, urology, podiatry, otolaryngology, radiation and medical oncology, cardiothoracic surgery, and general and minimally invasive gastrointestinal surgery. The Oregon Clinic is committed to provide the highest quality care, to practice data-driven medicine, to provide leadership for the healthcare community, and to offer respectful, compassionate service. It was founded in 1994 with the merger of several clinical groups in Portland, offering specialty care from Vancouver to Salem, and from Gresham to Astoria. The GMIS clinic is located at 1040 NW 22nd, Suite 560, Portland, OR 97210. Visit The Oregon Clinic website at www.orclinic.com.
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