Title: Now and future - A scalable surgery solution needed for the obesity and T2D pandemics

Biography:

The ASMBS has long stated that bariatric surgery is the most successful long-term treatment for morbid obesity. Recently, surgery has been found to be by far the best treatment and is being recommended for co-morbid T2D. And yet the failure of surgery as a practical solution is evidenced by the total of all bariatric surgeries in the US in 2016 being only 216K or 0.18% of the 118 million obese/ overweight. Number of bariatric surgeries for the primary intent of reducing T2D is not found to be reported. The author discusses how the failed value propositions of the available surgeries deter patients and leave a need for an acceptable surgery. The author describes one solution: a simple, safe, low cost, volume-reduction surgery that he originated and co-patented, along with an enabling surgical tool5 . It does not require any gastric resection and when the enabling tool is used can be accomplished by a surgeon of conventional laparoscopic abdominal surgery skills. Now known as LGP over 2,000 LGP surgeries have been reported by a multiplicity of surgeons, all done by difficult manual suturing. (The enabling tool, not yet available for human use, requires very little training and reduces suturing time from up to 152 difficult minutes to an easy one-handed, estimated 25 min). Can be provided at surgi-centers accessible to urban/rural populations; priced for self-pay to avoid the need for insurance; has acceptable efficacy. This is simpler than the LASG, providing better durability than the LAGB, with superior T2D alleviation.

Abstract

Peter Harris is the Principal at BP Consulting; VP Strategic for Oasis Diagnostics; co-founder, Longevity Surgical Inc. He has worked as an employee for multinationals, but prefers the start-up environment where he has made significant technology contributions in fields as diverse as bariatric surgery, diagnostic cardiology and CO2 laser surgery. Guest Lecturer, Dept Bioengineering, Univ. Washington, Seattle. BS Telecommunications.