Risks of Morbid Obesity Outweigh those of Bariatric Surgery, says Dr. Feiz

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- As a board-certified bariatric surgeon offering the innovative gastric sleeve and the FDA-compliant and the lap band in Los Angeles, Dr. Michael Feiz knows that the purpose of these procedures goes far beyond simple weight loss. Although it is the main objective of a lap band or gastric sleeve surgery, Dr. Feiz' goal for patients is to experience dramatic improvement or even complete remission of their comorbid conditions, which often include type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea and hypertension. Now recognized as a disease by the American Medical Association, obesity is a serious condition that is notoriously difficult to treat. Dr. Feiz agrees with research from the American Society Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), of which he is a distinguished member, that bariatric surgery is the most effective and long lasting treatment for morbid obesity.

Research estimates that morbidly obese individuals fail to maintain significant weight loss almost 100 percent of the time. Alternatively, those who get a lap band, gastric sleeve, or other bariatric surgery have been estimated to lose about 61 percent of their excess weight after about five years, according to Cleveland Clinic research. Approximately 18 million American adults suffer from morbid obesity, which is linked to a variety of comorbid conditions which can shorten life. In fact, the life expectancy of a man in his 20s is 13 years shorter if he is more than 100 pounds overweight, a fact published in the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine.

Furthermore, comorbid conditions associated with obesity were drastically reduced after losing approximately 60 percent of excess body weight, with the highest rates of improvement in obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension and type 2 diabetes. In fact, the Cleveland Clinic also found in 2006 research that the five-year mortality rate was reduced by 89 percent for patients who had undergone laparoscopic gastric bypass.

Further research from Stanford University has proven the undergoing gastric sleeve surgery, a newer form of bariatric surgery that Dr. Feiz champions, is safe or even safer than the lap band. This procedure involves the removal of approximately 85 percent of the stomach and fashioning the remaining segment into a small sleeve shape. What makes this surgery so successful for morbidly obese individuals is that it removes the section of the stomach called the fundus, which produces a hunger-causing hormone called ghrelin.

The Stanford University research from 2012 showed that of the 16,000 patients who underwent gastric sleeve surgery, less than one percent had serious complications in 30 days, and the 30-day mortality rate for gastric sleeve surgery was 0.08 percent; rates which are lower than what is typically associated with gallbladder or hip replacement surgery. Dr. Feiz, however, boasts a 0 percent mortality rate.

While no major surgery is without risks, Dr. Feiz only chooses to proceed with patients who stand to benefit from bariatric surgery, when the risks outweigh the potential complications. That's why Dr. Feiz has thorough pre-operative consultations to screen his prospective patients and determine whether they make good bariatric surgery candidates. Throughout the entire process, from the initial consultation through the surgery itself and especially aftercare, Dr. Feiz is there to help his patients through their weight loss journey.

To learn more about the risks and benefits of weight loss surgery at the offices of Dr. Feiz & Associates, call 800-868-5946 today to schedule your FREE consultation!

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SOURCE Dr. Feiz & Associates