28th Aug, 2020
With different procedures available, and some centers favoring one over the other, how does one learn which kind of weight loss surgery is most effective? We will look at some comparative studies, but it is important to keep in mind that the wisest approach is to balance both “effectiveness," which usually defined as pounds lost and health restored, with safety and side effects. Weight Loss Surgery… Read more »
31st Jul, 2020
Perhaps the most wonderful thing about being in practice for over 20 years here in northern Nevada is getting to see my patients in long-term follow up, decades after their surgery. In the case of sleeve gastrectomy, it’s particularly gratifying to see people from the area for whom I performed their sleeve gastrectomy 10 years ago. For most of them, it has made a remarkable… Read more »
10th Jul, 2020
Making an informed decision requires accurate information, and that's particularly true when you're investigating weight-loss surgery. As you consider your options, here are six questions to ask before your weight-loss surgery. 1. Which Procedure is Right for Me? Since metabolic surgery has evolved and improved, it has also become a little more complicated. Although the sleeve procedure has taken center stage in recent years, some… Read more »
5th Jun, 2020
1. It’s not your fault that the gastric bypass failed. I know that everybody tends to blame themselves, but the science and the evidence support a very different conclusion. The truth is that the problem is a result of the intersection between a person’s genetics and the obesogenic environment. That’s it. Huge changes in everything we grow and prepare and consume, combined with many other factors… Read more »
2nd Jun, 2020
In a pair of large and recently completed studies, sleeve gastrectomy earned more praise as the safest thing to do if you are battling obesity. In one study of over 117,000 individuals, sleeve gastrectomy was found to result in tremendous long-term weight loss compared to non-surgical treatment. In the 2020 publication by Arterburn and colleagues, medical weight loss without surgery resulted in a grand total… Read more »
22nd May, 2020
I recently received a gratifying email from the United States Patent and Trademark Office informing me that my invention of a novel device for use in surgery was granted a U.S. Patent. If you are familiar with the patent process, you may know it is a long journey. The new device, Non-Provisional Patent Serial No. 15/838,057, H & H Reference No. (88537.0006), is designed to… Read more »
8th May, 2020
Over the last five years, we’ve had an opportunity to evaluate procedures for tightening or revising the stomach after prior gastric bypass. We’ve learned a great deal, and we’ve been able to improve the procedures that jumpstart weight loss and lead to better health. Today, I’m sharing an update to gastric bypass stomach pouch tightening without surgery. The Stretched Stomach Pouch For the millions of… Read more »
5th May, 2020
Contrary to popular opinion, losing weight and keeping it off isn't about willpower. Not really. Mostly today it's about biology – our genetic blueprint up against an obesogenic environment. But there are people who successfully fight against all the elements of our food and environment that conspire to make us fat: people who exercise a lot every day and eat lower carbs, focusing on vegetables… Read more »
17th Apr, 2020
In December 2008, Dr. Sasse was featured in an article for Becker’s ASC Review with his perspective on six trends in bariatric surgery. But a lot can change in twelve years, and the world of bariatric surgery is no exception. Dr. Sasse reviewed the trends he shared in 2008 and offers an update for bariatric surgery trends in 2020. One notable change — weight-loss surgery… Read more »
8th Jan, 2019
Major long-term studies demonstrate diabetes remission after metabolic surgery with the sleeve gastrectomy, a 45-minute laparoscopic procedure. But patients rightly wish to know if that remission translates to meaningful gains in health and quantifiable reductions in end-organ diabetic disease, including renal, ophthalmological, and peripheral neuropathy complications. In the O’Brien matched cohort study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, investigators studied more than 4,000 diabetic… Read more »