http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. Physicians at Monash University and The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, Australia describe the logistic, medical, and societal challenges faced in treating spine trauma in morbidly obese patients. Based on a case series of six patients injured in high-speed motor vehicle accidents, the authors categorize difficulties faced in the care of morbidly obese patients from on-scene immobilization and medical transport through spinal imaging, surgery, and postoperative care. Details of the six cases and a thorough discussion of challenges posed by morbid obesity and possible solutions are covered in "Challenges in the surgical management of spine trauma in the morbidly obese patient: a case series. Clinical article," by Hannah E. Rosenfeld and colleagues, published today online, ahead of print, in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-encountered-surgical-spine-trauma-morbidly.html Surgery Tue, 21 May 2013 11:37:09 EST news288354999 An experimental procedure successfully tested in obese laboratory rats may provide a less-invasive alternative to bariatric weight-loss surgery, researchers report online in Endocrinology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-alternative-bariatric-weight-loss-surgery.html Surgery Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:18:56 EST news286543129 (Medical Xpress)—A Deakin University study has found that the rate of morbid obesity in women increased by almost 70 per cent over a 10 year period. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-morbid-obesity-women.html Overweight and Obesity Thu, 04 Apr 2013 06:52:38 EST news284277147 (Medical Xpress)—An experimental diet with carbohydrates eaten mostly at dinner could benefit people suffering from severe and morbid obesity, according to new research at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-limiting-carbs-dinner-time-satiety-diabetes.html Health Thu, 08 Nov 2012 08:17:05 EST news271584986 A study comparing bariatric surgical procedures for obesity suggests that even though undergoing the less commonly used biliopancreatic diversion/duodenal switch (DS) may be associated with higher early risks compared with gastric bypass (GB), the DS appears to achieve better weight loss and control of co-existing illnesses, especially among patients whose body mass index (BMI) was more than 50, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of Surgery. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-duodenal-gastric-bypass-morbid-obesity.html Surgery Mon, 17 Sep 2012 16:00:01 EST news267098510 Research to be presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior (SSIB), the foremost society for research into all aspects of eating and drinking behavior, finds that gastric bypass surgery induces changes in the gut microbiota and peptide release that are similar to those seen after treatment with prebiotics. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-gastric-bypass-surgery-gut-microbiota.html Surgery Tue, 10 Jul 2012 04:47:30 EST news261114401 Most adolescents preparing for weight-loss, or bariatric, surgery are deficient in vitamin D, a new study demonstrates. The results to be presented at The Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting in Houston. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-vitamin-d-deficiency-common-adolescents.html Health Mon, 25 Jun 2012 16:10:04 EST news259855940 (HealthDay) -- Morbid obesity increases the risk of multiple complications in spinal fusion surgery, particularly in patients undergoing anterior cervical or posterior lumbar procedures, according to research published in the May 15 issue of Spine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-morbid-obesity-ups-complication-spinal.html Overweight and Obesity Tue, 05 Jun 2012 04:50:01 EST news258086475 Researchers at the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine and Feinstein Institute for Medical Research conducted a retrospective analysis which found that morbid obesity impedes kidney donation. In fact, in the analysis of 104 potential living kidney donors, 23 (22 percent) donors were classified as morbidly obese, only three (13 percent) of whom were able to successfully lose weight and donate their kidney. This data will be presented at the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) 2012 Spring Clinical Meetings, to be held from May 9-13 in Washington, DC. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-obesity-hinders-kidney-donation.html Other Thu, 10 May 2012 20:00:02 EST news255886451 A minimally invasive treatment may target hunger at its source, another uses X-ray visible embolic beads to block arteries to the stomach and suppress hunger and a third explores the use of stem cells to repair vertebral disc degeneration. Initial results from all these studies were reported at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 37th Annual Scientific Meeting in San Francisco, Calif. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-pain-gain-weight-loss-disc.html Other Mon, 26 Mar 2012 09:30:19 EST news251973012 Surgery for obesity improves lives and may save money. There are two very commonly performed operations to treat morbid obesity in the UK but it is unclear which is the most effective and provides the greatest benefit for patients and the NHS. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-obesity-surgery.html Surgery Mon, 27 Feb 2012 11:11:02 EST news249563426 Poor emotional health and morbid obesity are associated with less functional gain following total knee replacement (TKR) surgery. In the new study, "Can Telephone Support During Post-TKR Rehabilitation Improve Post-op Function: A Randomized Controlled Trial," presented today at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), approximately 180 patients were categorized by gender, body mass index (BMI) and emotional health. Each patient randomly received either emotional telephone support by a trained behavioral specialist, or standard patient care. Telephone support included three phone calls before surgery, one in-person hospital visit, and eight weekly post-operative calls. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-surgical-outcome-knee.html Other Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:00:03 EST news247854792 The majority of people who undergo bariatric weight-loss surgery benefit from the procedure, but long-term complications and further surgery are not uncommon, according to a UK paper on late postoperative complications in the October issue of BJS, the British Journal of Surgery. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-weight-loss-surgery-complications-standard-obesity.html Other Tue, 06 Sep 2011 10:51:53 EST news234525091 According to a study published in the August issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, there was an increase in the number of laparoscopic bariatric procedures, an increase in the number of bariatric surgeons and a decrease of inhospital mortality rates between 2003 and 2008. During the past decade, the field of bariatric surgery has changed dramatically and the authors concluded that these trends are due, in part, to an increase in the use of laparoscopic techniques and a greater acceptance of bariatric surgery by patients. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-08-laparoscopic-bariatric-procedures-.html Other Mon, 08 Aug 2011 15:30:01 EST news232034737