New bariatric program set to start soon

Published: Wednesday, July 23, 2008 12:11 a.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
OREM — A new bariatric surgery program is set to begin at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center.

Bariatric surgery, better known as gastric bypass surgery, decreases the volume of the stomach and reduces caloric intake.

The new program, a partnership between Utah Valley Regional and Utah County Surgical Associates, is a comprehensive approach to weight loss, involving a multidisciplinary team of a physician/surgeon, nurse, nutritionist, psychologist and exercise physiotherapist. For best results, patients must maintain lifestyle changes after the procedure and throughout their lives.

The program will be spearheaded by surgeon Dr. David Watts, who has 12 years of experience performing gastric bypass surgeries. Watts said patients who undergo the procedure often have complete cure of their diabetes or other weight-related illnesses.

He said a study published in the Aug. 23, 2007, New England Journal of Medicine reported after watching nearly 8,000 patients who underwent gastric bypass surgery for 18 years, compared to control subjects matched for age, sex and body mass index, death from all causes was reduced by 40 percent after the procedure. Additionally, deaths from coronary artery disease were reduced by 56 percent, deaths from diabetes by 92 percent and cancer by 60 percent.

Story continues below

The Utah Valley Surgical Weight Loss Program will hold a free educational class for interested candidates on Aug. 5 at 6:30 p.m. in the Northwest Plaza Clark Auditorium at Utah Valley Regional. For more information, call 357-2294 or e-mail sauna.olsen@imail.org.

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

previousnext

Latest comments

I love Millsap, and the Jazz will find a way to move Boozer and match for...

i think its childish to assume that somebody would actually want to get...

Millsap and Boozer need to stay in Utah. Millsap is Boozers backup while he...

Childish and immature? Its always easier being ignorant and presuming things...

can you use words like testimony and church leadership to critisize a...

Bro P really helped me through a tough time in my life when I had him in...

These are only allegations at present, but I hope when he goes to trial, the...

My thoughts are with the Pratt family right now. Michael I hope you are...

It is interesting that everyone who seems to be a member comments on how nice...

You presume, simply because they were gay, that they were trying to "stir...

Advertisements