Re: Longitudinal Lapband Research

[Guest guest]

Diane, regarding your wish for longitudinal lapband research, this has

already been done. Prof. O'Brien has/is publishing his latest research in

the British Journal of Surgery just this month I'm told.

I understand that that article gives results at the 4 year mark for 200 of

his patients. (I've actually seen the bar charts on his respiratory

physician's computer showing weight loss.) What the chart shows is that

lapband patients are still losing at the 4 year mark, there is no dip and up

again as with those who have dieted it off by traditional means.

I would imagine that all of Prof's patients data is collated over time so

they are all 'assisting' in lapband research. The thing we need to keep in

mind of course is that the data is for Prof's patients only reflecting his

choice of patient, surgical skill and after care protocol so the results can

only be extrapolated in general terms for patients of other surgeons.

I understand that Prof is also Australasia's representative before the US

FDA and thus he would have a swag of data that he uses for the FDA to

consider approval of the device in the US.

Having said this, we can all share in the benefits of Prof's research and

level of surgical skill given his dissemination of advice to other

Australian surgeons.

Robyn