News Releases

June 16, 2008
New Weight Loss Procedure Helps Patients Reclaim Their Health

West Georgia Health System to offer LapBand¹ Bariatric Surgery

West Georgia Health System puts the squeeze on obesity with a new minimally invasive surgical procedure called LapBand™ . The service offers a new option for severely overweight and obese patients who have been unable to lose weight even with medically supervised dieting and exercise.

The LapBand procedure is just one service the health system will offer through its new bariatric center. The center aims to offer a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach to weight loss. 

“Obesity is a multi-factorial medical problem that requires a comprehensive approach of many specialists,” said President and CEO Jerry Fulks.  “To achieve the best possible result in the treatment of this debilitating condition, our patients have to rely on carefully developed and individualized support which includes not only surgical weight loss solutions but the necessary nutritional support and counseling, behavioral modification strategies and exercise.”

During the LapBand procedure, also know as laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, the surgeon uses several small incisions and a tiny camera or laparoscope, to place an adjustable band around the upper part of the stomach. The LapBand restricts the amount of food entering the stomach and also causes a feeling of fullness sooner than would normally occur during eating. As a result, patients eat less and lose weight.

Dr. Wes Turton, who has extensive experience in advanced laparoscopic surgery, and has been trained on LapBand procedure, said the procedure provides patients with a powerful tool in achieving significant weight loss and a healthier lifestyle. Dr. Turton points out “the LapBand procedure has been shown to have weight loss nearly identical to gastric bypass surgery, but has advantages including a faster recovery and less cost. Most importantly, the LapBand procedure is 10 times safer than gastric bypass surgery.”

“While many may think that losing weight is about vanity, for the severely overweight and obese, it can be a matter of life and death,” said Dr. Turton. “High blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, and a shorter life expectancy are all health risks associated with obesity. Due to the results of the LapBand procedure, obese patients with diabetes may be cured of their diabetes in approximately 75% of cases. Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is important in reducing the risk of those diseases and improving overall health.”

Turton added that achieving success with LapBand surgery still requires self-management and behavior modification as well as periodic adjustments by a physician — either to loosen or tighten the band — to meet their individual weight loss needs. 

In most cases, patients must have obesity-related health problems or a body mass index (BMI) of at least 40 (equivalent to about 100 pounds over ideal body weight for men or 80 pounds over ideal body weight for women) to be considered a candidate for LapBand surgery.

The procedure takes about 40 minutes and can generally be performed on an outpatient basis with a brief hospital stay. Because it does not involve cutting, stapling or intestinal re-routing, the procedure is 10 times safer than gastric bypass surgery, according to a five-year study conducted by the American Society for Bariatric Surgery.

In many cases, insurance will also cover the procedure. With more than two million adults who are obese and more than 400,000 who are morbidly obese, many of Georgia's insurers are now recognizing obesity as a significant health risk. Payers like Blue Cross, Humana, First Health, One Health, and United Healthcare are either partially or completely covering bariatric surgeries like LapBand.

Dr. Turton adds “Both West Georgia Health System and Emory Clark-Holder Clinic cover this procedure for their employees. I feel this demonstrates our medical community's confidence in the benefits offered by the LapBand procedure”.

Because each company has its own authorization and approval process, Dr. Turton urges patients to call his office and his staff will assist in determining if their insurance covers the procedure. For those whose insurance refuses to cover this procedure, Dr. Turton and WGHS have developed an all-inclusive fee to cover the surgeon's fees, anesthesia services as well as hospital services. In addition, since this is a new service, discounts of up to $5,000 are offered to qualified patients.

In addition, individuals can learn more about LapBand surgery and the health system's new bariatric center through a free seminar to be held Thursday, June 26 th at 6:30 p.m. in the Enoch Callaway Cancer Clinic, Clark Auditorium. Dr. Turton will answer questions and explain the procedure, its benefits and what patients can expect after surgery. To register for the seminar, call 706-812-4375 .