Weight Loss Toronto

This past Sunday Lesley Stahl, CBS news correspondent for 60 Minutes completed a special report on what many are now referring to as The Bypass Effect. As doctors know gastric bypass or bariatric surgery has been performed since the 1950’s. The safety of patients undergoing the procedure was a serious concern for physicians until the development of similar but less invasive procedures such as the laparoscopic band.

As the surgical option for weight loss has become more main-stream, the number of surgeries performed each year has increased along with the safety of the procedure. According to Dr. Neil Hutcher a bypass surgeon from Richmond, Va. bypass surgery is the most effective means of curing obesity with a success rate of 85-90%. Patients on average lose one third of their total body weight after the surgery.

What Stahl notes is that not only do bariatric patients experience weight loss, many have experienced other pleasant but previously unknown side effects in addition to their weight loss. For many who have opted to undergo bypass surgery, their type II diabetes has vanished and the surgery has also been reported to suppress appetite and curb food cravings.

Of the 10 patients Stahl interviews the entire panel had typeII diabetes before the surgery but all of them are now free of diabetes and sugar controlling medications. According to Dr. Hutcher approximately 80% of patients who undergo bypass surgery are cured of diabetes. Although it is true that obesity is one of the largest contributing factors to type II diabetes these patients experience the remission of diabetes before they recorded weight loss. For most patients their diabetes had disappeared before they returned home after having the surgery.

All of which is great news for anyone considering bypass or lap-band surgery! To watch the 60 Minutes news cast click the player below.