Most effective treatment for diabetes is a 45 minute procedure.

diabetes treatments has made a profound impact, echoing around the corridors of many major medical centers and universities. The study, in which individuals with diabetes were randomized to receive either intensive medical treatment, sleeve gastrectomy, or gastric bypass surgery, closely monitored all the patients, and results were reported at one year, and three years. But the release of the most recent five-year data (See graph) leaves little remaining doubt, even for the skeptics of weight-loss surgery, since it is proven to be so significantly superior to medical management of diabetes. Diabetes is such an important topic because it is the number one cause of blindness, amputations, and kidney failure in this country. Current medical management uses pills and injections to control the blood sugar number, and recommendations for diet and exercise as well as health monitoring of retinopathy, kidney function and other organs. But even a very intensive medical management regimen at a premier center could not compete with the profound and lasting positive effects of sleeve gastrectomy, which proved equal in its effectiveness to gastric bypass (the sleeve procedure is less invasive and has a fewer short and long term complications). As the graph demonstrates, individuals undergoing surgery had significantly lower Hemoglobin A1c levels, and the effects have been large and durable out five full years. In many cases the patients were no longer diabetic after the surgery. Numerous studies have already demonstrated a superior survival probability for people who undergo weight loss surgery when compared to match controls of obese individuals. While an increasing number of people with type two diabetes are seeking out the sleeve gastrectomy procedure, a great many more deserve the chance to benefit. Kent C. Sasse, M.D., MPH, FACS, FACRS Assistant Clinical Professor, University of Nevada School of Medicine Medical Director, Bariatric Surgery]]>