HEALTH & WELLNESS
St. Francis Medical Center offers
surgical weight-loss options
Anyone who has tried to lose weight knows
it’s not easy. A healthy diet and exercise regimen are difficult to maintain, and studies have shown that most people who shed
pounds end up regaining them – and then
some – within three years.
If you’re severely obese, losing weight is
even harder. Bariatric, or weight-loss, surgery could be right for you.
“When combined with a comprehensive
treatment plan, bariatric surgery can be
an effective tool for long-term weight loss
and improve a patient’s quality of life,” said
Chairman of Surgery at St. Francis Medical Center Louis Fares
II, MD, FACS. “Bariatric surgery has been shown to improve or
resolve many obesity-related conditions, such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.”
Types of surgery
Bariatric surgery works by restricting the amount of food
the stomach can hold and how nutrients are absorbed into the
body. There are often hormonal changes, as well, that affect
feelings of hunger and fullness. “Bariatric surgery can lead to
significant weight loss and improved health,” said Dr. Fares.
Today, most bariatric procedures are performed using min-
imally invasive approaches. The following
descriptions comprise the most common
bariatric procedures:
• Sleeve gastrectomy: During a sleeve gastrectomy, about 80 percent of the stomach
is removed, leaving a narrow gastric tube
or “sleeve.” This significantly reduces the
amount of food (and thus calories) that
the stomach can hold. In addition, the
part of the stomach that produces ghrelin,
a hormone that stimulates appetite, is removed, noticeably reducing hunger. The
stomach’s connection of the esophagus
and small intestine are left intact. Patients can expect to lose 60
to 70 percent of their excess body weight.
• Gastric bypass: In this operation (also known as the Rouxen-Y), the surgeon first divides the stomach into a small
upper pouch and a much larger lower “remnant” pouch.
The surgeon then configures a small-intestine connection
to the upper pouch. As the new upper stomach can only
hold a small amount of food, the patient becomes full more
quickly. Additionally, because the digestive tract now goes
around a portion of the small intestine, fewer calories and
nutrients are absorbed. Because fewer nutrients are ab-
The First Responders Partnership Health Center (FRPHC) is the most exciting
health care news in many years for first responders!
FRPHC is a collaborative effort of the first responder union leadership and Integrity Health, a well-known, New Jersey-based
firm specializing in managing health plans from a patient-centered medical home platform called “Partnership Health Center”.
FRPHC Services will include:
Same-day appointments • Doctor visits • Required Medical Exams/Physicals • X-ray • Lab work
Rx • Physical Therapy • Chiropractic • Pain Diagnostics • Behavioral Health • Care coordination
Disease Management • Wellness & Nutrition
These services will be available to you and your family,
at a convenient location, from 7 a.m.-7 p.m., 7 days a week - 7/7/7
The FRPHC will provide customized care by specially trained providers to
meet the medical needs of first responders, and will eliminate:
• Delays in getting doctor appointments
• Shift work interfering with appointments
• Trouble with specialist referrals and lack of care coordination among them
• Providers unfamiliar with the unique health challenges of law enforcement.
www.IntegrityHealth.com
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NEW JERSEY COPS
■ AUGUST 2016