2013 Symposium Dates

Wednesday Evenings
7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

January 2
February 6
March 6
April 3
June 5
July 3
August 7
September 4
October 2
November 6
December 4

Please arrive prior to 7 p.m. for registration.

Saturday Mornings
10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

January 26
February 23
March 23
April 27
May 25
June 22
July 27
August 24
September 28
October 26

Please arrive prior to 10 a.m. for registration.

Weight Loss Surgery

Methodist Hospital is proud to be recognized as:

• American Society of Bariatric Surgeons
• Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence Blue Shield Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery
• CIGNA Certified Hospital forBariatric Surgery Health Net of California Designated Bariatric Surgery Program
• Aetna Institutes of Quality Bariatric Surgery Facility

Meet our Methodist Hospital physicians who specialize in this type of surgery.

Troy LaMar, MD, FACS
Dr. Troy LaMar was born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin. He attended the University of Southern California, receiving a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1986. He returned home for medical school, earning his M.D. at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1992. Dr. Troy LaMar completed his general surgery residency at Huntington Memorial Hospital in California, in 1997.

Bengt Pehrsson, MD, FACS
Born in Stockholm, Sweden, Dr. Bengt Pehrsson received his medical degree at the University of Munich in West Germany. Upon completion of his general medical training, he was accepted to the residency program at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. He did his training primarily at what was then known at Charity Hospital in the heart of the city. After his 5 years of general residency he continued with his education receiving an additional year of training in Colon/Rectal surgery as a Fellow at the Alton Ochsner Foundation in New Orleans.

Asok Doraiswamy, MD
Dr. Asok Doraiswamy grew up in Corvallis, Oregon. He attended Marquette University in Milwaukee Wisconsin where he received his bachelors degree in biology in 1997. He attended medical school at Saint Louis University and went on to complete his general surgery training at the University of California Davis in 2006. Before joining California Bariatric and General Surgery Associates, Dr. Doraiswamy completed a year long fellowship in advanced laparoscopic and bariatric surgery at Cedars Sinai Medical Center. His specific areas of interest include bariatric surgery, antireflux surgery and advanced laparoscopy.

Methodist Hospital's bariatric surgeons are highly skilled and experienced.

• We have more than 20 years of experience in bariatric surgery
• We have performed more than 2,000 bariatric procedures
• Our services include laparoscopic gastric bypass, lap band and lap revisions
• We feature a surgical floor dedicated to bariatric patients
• Our staff is experienced, caring and dedicated
• We use special highly technical equipment
• We have a dedicated bariatric RN coordinator
• Our average length of stay is only one day for bypass surgery patients
• Our lap band surgery is performed as an outpatient procedure
• We accept most insurances, and our physicians are contracted with many types of insurance

Join Us for a Free Symposium
This is a free seminar where you can explore the opportunities and advantages of laparoscopic gastric bypass and lap band surgery. Talk to physicians and ask questions of patients who have had the procedure. This seminar will be held at Methodist Hospital. Please call 1-888-388-2838 to register.

It is important to choose a surgeon who specializes in your area of concern, has performed your operation numerous times, and will take the time to educate you on your options.  Surgical Services

Bariatric Surgery

Laproscopic Gastric Bypass is an operation in which most of the patient's stomach is reduced to a small pouch to decrease the amount of food the stomach can physically hold. Then, the small intestine is reconfigured so food can bypass the first section, mildly reducing the absorption of calories into the body.

The Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass is performed through several small incisions, a technique that benefits the patient by resulting in a shorter hospital stay, an earlier return to normal activities, and less scarring and pain. A recent clinical study reported a diminished incidence of wound herniation and infection using the laparoscopic method.

After 10 years, many gastric bypass patients have maintained a weight loss of about 100 pounds. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), obesity surgery offers the only proven permanent weight loss solution.

Additional clinical research has shown that this weight loss leads to a significant improvement in the health status of many gastric bypass patients. One study demonstrated that many patients suffering from type II diabetes no longer need insulin therapy. Patients who could not previously have necessary joint replacements, became good candidates for the operation, and generally enjoyed excellent results. Other medical conditions that can improve after gastric bypass include back and joint pain, sleep apnea, leg swelling, Gastroesophageal reflux disease, asthma and elevated cholesterol levels.

The NIH defines obesity as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater. BMI can be determined by dividing a person's weight in kilograms by height in meters squared. Based on the NIH definition of obesity, 39.8 million, or nearly one-quarter, of adults in the U.S. are obese. Between 1991 and 1998, obesity increased in every state of U.S., across all genders, races, ethnicities, age groups and education levels.

Obesity surgery is only recommended for people with a BMI of 40 or greater, approximately 100 pounds overweight for men or 80 pounds for women. People who have a BMI between 35 and 40 and an obesity-related disease such as sleep apnea, diabetes, or heart disease, may also be candidates for obesity surgery. But for others, greater efforts toward weight control, such as changes in eating habits, behavior modification, and increasing physical activity, may be more appropriate.

No method - including surgery - can guarantee weight loss or weight loss maintenance. Successful weight loss is only possible when a patient commits fully to a lifetime of behavioral changes and medical follow-up.

Like any major operation, the gastric bypass may present serious risks, including the possibility of infection and complications from general anesthesia. Patients should consult with their doctors to find out if obesity surgery is appropriate for them.

The Challenge

Generally, obesity is defined as individuals who weigh more than 100 pounds above their "normal" body weight. Data published by the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) show the health, economic and psycho-social consequences of the increase in obesity are grave. Recent estimates suggest that 2 percent to
8 percent of the total sick care costs in Western countries are attributable to obesity. Excess weight and obesity are known risk factors for:

• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Hypertension
• Gallbladder disease
• Osteoarthritis
• Sleep apnea and other breathing problems
• some forms of cancer (uterine, breast, colorectal, kidney and gallbladder)

Obesity is associated with high blood cholesterol, complications of pregnancy, menstrual irregularities, hirsutism (presence of excess body and facial hair), stress incontinence, psychological disorders such as depression, and increased surgical risk.

There are increased mortality rates for clinically morbidly obese patients. A 12-year follow-up of 336,442 men and 419,060 women found that the mortality rates for men 50 percent above average weight were increased approximately two-fold. In the same weight group, the mortality was increased five-fold for diabetics and four-fold for those with digestive tract disease. In women, the mortality was also increased two-fold, while in female diabetics the mortality risk increased eight-fold and three-fold for those with digestive tract disease.

Data supports the estimate that a 10 percent reduction in body weight corresponds to a 20 percent reduction in risk of developing coronary heart disease.

Approximately 280,000 deaths in the United States each year are attributed to obesity. Americans spend $33 billion annually on weight-loss products and services.