"A much-needed guide to the most effective treatment for extreme obesity," says President of the American Obesity Association

New Book by Internationally-Recognized Medical Authority Dispels Myths About Weight Loss Surgery

NEW YORK, NY (October 2001) – Startlingly, among the 55 percent of Americans who are overweight is a group of about five million who suffer from clinically severe obesity, also known as morbid obesity. This condition is a chronic disease associated with diabetes, high blood pressure, breathing problems and/or arthritis that can lead to further complications and death if not properly managed. Because of the high failure rate associated with dietary treatment, weight loss surgery, also known as "bariatric surgery," is the most effective method for obtaining sustained weight loss in severely obese people. However, misunderstanding and apprehension about its safety and effectiveness still abound.

Louis J. Flancbaum, MD, Chief, Division of Bariatric Surgery at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York City, and Associate Professor of Clinical Surgery at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, is a nationally-recognized authority on the surgical treatment of obesity. Dr. Flancbaum has performed nearly 1,000 bariatric surgical procedures. He has operated successfully on patients ranging in age from 15 to 70, weighing as much as 770 pounds. He has made many international presentations and published more than 100 articles in medical journals, and is board certified in General Surgery, Surgical Critical Care and Nutrition Support.

In an unusual move, Dr. Flancbaum has teamed up with former weight loss surgery patient, Erica Manfred, and freelance writer Deborah Biskin, to create the first comprehensive guide for the layperson, The Doctor’s Guide to Weight Loss Surgery: How to Make The Decision That Could Save Your Life. This personal and compelling in-depth exploration of the topic explains:

  • How the severity of obesity is graded and who is a candidate for weight loss surgery.
  • The types of operations used for obesity and the risks and benefits of each.
  • How weight loss surgery differs from liposuction and what kind of results can be expected.
  • How to choose a surgeon and a follow-up program.
  • Steps to improve the chances that your insurance company or third party payer will pay for the surgery.
  • The entire process of weight loss surgery, from pre-surgical evaluation, to the in-hospital experience, to what to watch out for in the months and years after surgery.
Research has proven that weight loss surgery is the single most effective treatment for individuals who have the severest form of the disease of obesity. By re-routing the flow of food to bypass the stomach, gastric bypass surgery limits the intake of food, affects the amount of food absorption, and changes the way the body uses energy. Long-term studies show that the majority of patients may attain extensive weight loss, typically between 50 to 75 percent of their excess weight over a period of 12 to 18 months. Complications of obesity, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, arthritis, and gastro-esophageal reflux disease (heartburn) improve markedly or disappear completely. The weight regained after five years is only 10 to 15 percent of that lost. The gastric bypass has been endorsed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the World Health Organization, The American Obesity Association, the American Heart Association, and Shape Up America.

"Society is scornful of morbidly obese people. They’re considered almost sub-human in today’s culture," says Dr. Flancbaum. "When I see what my patients go through, I feel a strong sense of empathy for them. It gives me tremendous satisfaction to witness the positive transformation that this surgery can make in the lives of patients."

Co-author Erica Manfred’s weight problem was causing worsening diabetes, higher cholesterol, painful arthritis, and intolerable heartburn. After trying dozens of commercial and "fad diets," shedding hundreds of pounds, and regaining even more, she began to investigate weight loss surgery. Following her gastric bypass surgery in January 1999, Erica lost more than 60 percent of her excess weight and gained control of her physical health and general well being. "I can finally do everything I want to do," says Erica, "including run up and down stairs, bend over, get up off the floor, walk for two miles without getting winded and, most important, lift and carry my two-year-old. My quality of life has been transformed." She is delighted that through this book, other fellow sufferers may benefit from her difficult, and ultimately successful, journey.