Federal Congressman has gastric bypass in two parts

[Guest guest]

Just thought you'd like to see this. I wish him well. Brave guy.

love,

ceep

Congressman To Go Back Under Knife To Cut Fat Faster

POSTED: 11:39 a.m. EDT July 16, 2003

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Jerrold Nadler will go back under the knife next month

for a second surgery to speed up his weight reduction.

Nadler, a Manhattan Democrat, underwent the first procedure almost a year

ago, and has since shed about 75 pounds.

" I certainly am doing a lot more walking and so forth, " said Nadler, who at 5

feet 4 inches tall once weighed 338 pounds. " I didn't take the subway before

because I didn't want to walk the stairs -- now I take the subway all the

time. "

Nadler's surgery, to be performed at Mount Sinai Hospital, will complete the

second part of a two-phase procedure used more frequently on the heaviest

stomach-reduction patients.

The lawmaker has said he hopes to eventually get his weight down to 160

pounds.

The first operation removed part of the stomach, making the patient feel full

after only eating a small amount.

The second surgery involves bypassing a section of the small intestine,

making it harder for the body to absorb nutrients and calories from food.

Though the stomach reduction and the intestinal bypass can be done in the

same operation, Nadler chose to have those two procedures done separately to

reduce the risk of complications from anesthesia.

Stomach-reduction surgery is often successful, but it is risky -- statistics

show that one of 200 people die as a result of the procedure.

" You don't do this unless you've tried every other way, " he said. " Obesity is

a great public health menace in our country ... and people ought to think

more about doing this kind of thing. "

Since the first surgery, Nadler said he has to be far more careful about what

he eats, to ensure he gets the proper amount of protein. And he is looking

forward to doing more and more and as he becomes less and less.

" When I was in the state Assembly, I played second base, " he said. " I haven't

played softball in a long, long time. I'd like to do that again. "

Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material

may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[Guest guest]

Thanks for sending, ceep. A bit of an explanation for those not

familiar with the two-part DS.

The DS consists of two parts, just as does the RnY: capacity

restriction and malabsorption by means of intestinal re-arrangement.

Dr. Gagner and his associates at Mt. Sinai assessed their experience

with SMO patients and found that the risks might be reduced if SMO

patients had their surgeries in two parts: the restrictive part (most

of the stomach is cut away, reducing it to a banana shape) first,

followed after a significant amount of weight loss by the intestinal

switch (very similar to distal the RnY construction, except that the

lower intestinal segment is anastomosed to the dissected duodenum

rather than to a pouch). So, it appears that Cong. Nadler had the

stomach reduction done last year, and now will have the malabsorptive

part.

Some folks, by the way, just have the stomach reduction which is also

called a Vertical Gastrectomy (VG). The problem there is keeping the

weight off in the long run, as there is no malabsorptive component to

lean on.

--Steve (who was fortunate to have had his DS done in one swell foop!)

At 8:04 PM -0400 7/16/03, lacorona@... wrote:

>Just thought you'd like to see this. I wish him well. Brave guy.

>love,

>ceep

>

>Congressman To Go Back Under Knife To Cut Fat Faster

>

>POSTED: 11:39 a.m. EDT July 16, 2003

>WASHINGTON -- Rep. Jerrold Nadler will go back under the knife next month

>for a second surgery to speed up his weight reduction.

>Nadler, a Manhattan Democrat, underwent the first procedure almost a year

>ago, and has since shed about 75 pounds.