Beverly Hills Physicians Bariatric Program Commands FDA Action Against Misleading Lap Band Advertising

Beverly Hills Physicians Bariatric Surgery Gropu supports the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) decision to investigate and take action against misleading advertising for the Lap Band Surgery, an FDA-approved medical implant used for weight loss. The FDA issued warning letters to several southern California entities that have allegedly misled the public regarding the possible risks of the LAP BAND procedure.

The LAP BAND is an adjustable gastric restrictive device that has been proven to be an effective tool in aiding weight loss. However, the LAP BAND should be viewed as one of many components that comprise a broader, complete weight loss prgram like the one offered by Beverly Hills Physicians. A safe and successful treatment plan for morbid obesity requires meticulous patient selection (since not all surgical procedures are suitable for all patients), as well as life-long follow-up of the patients health and success.

Los Angeles Weight Loss Surgeons have an obligation to consult with patients and inform them about possible side-effects and contraindications associated with LAP BAND surgery. Moreover, it is the duty of the program to inform patients not just about the risks and benefits of the LAP BAND, but also about all possible treatments. These include non-surgical and behavioral treatments, as well as surgical treatments such as laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy  and laparoscopic gastric bypass , in addition to the LAP BAND. This is in keeping with the fundamental guiding philosophy of surgeons at Beverly Hills Physicians & Associates. Without a thorough education about all the various options, a patient cannot possibly make an informed decision on the safest and healthiest course of action.  

The FDA’s commendable decision to take action underscores the need for patients to seek LAP BAND surgery and other treatment options only with well trained and qualified surgeons who are Fellowship trained in the field of Bariatric Surgery and accredited by the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). The simple truth is this: LAP BAND surgery can be a safe procedure, but only when performed by qualified and responsible medical professionals.

About Beverly Hills Physicians Bariatric Program:

With 10 locations and a huge network of physicians, BHP  is one of the safest and most consistently successful multidisciplinary bariatric surgical programs for the treatment of obesity and associated diseases. All surgeons at BHP  are Fellowship Trained Surgeons who are certified in the field of Bariatric Surgery.  The doctors at this medical center place a priority on pre-operative medical and cardiological assessment and clearance, in addition to pre- and post-operative behavioral modification. BHP has a sterling record of consistent safety and consistent success. Their doctors have performed thousands of these procedures without a single mortality, and maintain a complication rate of less than 1%, substantially lower than the national average of 3-4%.

Weight Loss and Lap Band Surgery Reduces Mortality in Obese Patients

Photo of a Lap Band

Patients undergoing Lap Band or Weight Loss Surgery had a significantly reduced rate of subsequent myocardial infarctions and strokes and significantly increased survival, compared with similar, morbidly obese patients who had other types of surgery, in a retrospective cohort study of more than 9,000 U.S. patients. In his study of bariatric surgery patients in South Carolina during 1996-2008, the combined rate of MIs, strokes, and deaths was 52% below the rate in patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery, and 28% below the rate of those who had orthopedic surgery – both statistically significant differences. The results also showed significant drops in each component of the combined end point (MIs, strokes, and deaths).

The new study used hospital in-patient records collected during 1996-2008 through the South Carolina Office of Research and Statistics, and death data collected by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. The analysis included morbidly obese patients aged 40-79 years who underwent nonemergency surgery (4,747 patients who had any form of bariatric surgery, 3,066 patients who underwent joint replacement or spinal surgery, and 1,327 patients who had a cholecystectomy, hernia repair, or lysis of gastrointestinal adhesions). Those with a history of prior MI or stroke were excluded.

Patients were followed for an average of 14 months after lap band surgery, 25 after orthopedic surgery, and 26 months after gastrointestinal surgery.

In a multivariate analysis that controlled for age, sex, race, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, coronary artery disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and a history of transient ischemic attack, patients undergoing bariatric surgery had a significant 41% reduced rate of first MI compared with the orthopedic surgery patients, and a significant 51% lower rate compared with the gastrointestinal surgery patients. Mortality in the weight loss surgery Los Angeles patients dropped by a significant 19% and 55% relative to the orthopedic and gastrointestinal patients, respectively, and the stroke rate was also significantly lower following bariatric surgery compared with the rates in each control group. The magnitude of these event-rate reductions was consistent with prior reports of risk reduction. Notably, bariatric surgery “reduced cardiovascular events, as opposed to obesity-drug treatments that may actually increase the risk for cardiovascular events,” he noted. “Bariatric surgery has been rigorously tested and [proved] over the past 20 years, and it has a dramatic effect on all aspects of patient health. [Most] medical treatments for obesity don’t have 20 years of data, and some medications actually cause heart problems. We don’t know how bariatric surgery reduced myocardial infarctions and strokes, but it’s probably several factors: weight loss and resolution of diabetes, hypertension, and sleep apnea. The spectrum of returning patients to a more normal, baseline state probably leads to less morbidity and mortality,” said one the best weight loss surgeon

Reduce Belly Fat and Add Curves to the Buttock

Timeless beauty and Hollywood glamour has long been associated with curves, made famous by the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor. Now board certified Beverly Hills plastic surgeons, has pioneered a procedure that will give every woman of every size the ultimate curves: The S-Curve Buttock Lift. By using fat transfer techniques, a Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon can now offer patients a more feminine and curvaceous shape with this form of buttock Augmentation.

“The way humans recognize beauty is in curves,” notes Dr. Ghavami. “In nature, it’s about recognizing proportion, and the relationship of convexity to concavity. In other words, a woman with a perfectly balanced curvy shape looks sexy!”

While a significant aspect of the S-Curve Buttock Lift is creating a round, shapely buttock, Dr. Ghavami notes that the ultimate goal of the procedure is to improve the shape and silhouette of the whole body. Unlike other surgeons, who solely focus on the buttocks of a patient, Dr. Ghavami liposculpts the entire body, neck to knees, to achieve the ultimate hourglass figure on any body type.

The process begins with incredibly detailed pre-operative analysis and markings. Once in surgery, liposuction is performed on areas such as the lower back, flank and upper hip fat (also known as the “muffin top”). The fat is then placed in multiple layers, and carefully sculpted and massaged.

Dr. Ghavami then fashions a diamond-shape valley directly above the intergluteal crease. This enhances the curvature of the lower spine and top of the buttocks. When the fat has been harvested, it is then injected into the hips and buttocks, to create the perfect “S” curve. As the body turns 360 degrees, the curves (and “S” shapes) become clear in all areas, particularly the small of the back, and the hips.

According to Dr. Ghavami, approximately 70% of the fat will survive, nearly an unheard of number with fat transfer procedures. Most notably, however, is the fact that the procedure also improves appearance of the skin and cellulite, as well. After the fat has been transferred, the production of collagen is stimulated, and the superficial fat compartments become stretched and tighten, resulting in more healthy-looking skin with glow.

While Dr. Ghavami notes that he can create the perfect hourglass shape on just about anyone, he places great emphasis on a strict post-operative diet and exercise regimen on all his patients, that not only optimizes fat survival, but shape as well. “The S-Curve Buttock Lift procedure yields completely natural looking and feeling curves, unlike buttock implants,” concludes Dr. Ghavami. “This makes my patients feel confident, feminine, and sexy.”

Urinary Incontinence Treatment

Vaginal Rejuvenation- Before and After Photo

If you’ve ever leaked urine when you laughed, coughed or sneezed, you may have thought it was a simple accident, but for many women, bladder leaks are a surprisingly common occurrence.

Maybe you find that pressure from coughing, picking up something heavy, pulling, pushing or exercising causes recurring urine leaks. Many women cope by wearing sanitary napkins or dark clothing, planning trips around restroom facilities, even sticking closer to home—anything to shield them from embarrassment.

Stress Urinanry Incontinence (SUI) is a common, treatable condition in which sudden movements put stress on the bladder, causing urine to leak out involuntarily. Stress urinary incontinence is one of the most common types of urinary incontinence among women.Because bladder leakage can be embarrassing, many women don’t talk about SUI or realize how common it is.

While mild symptoms of incontinence may be treated using the methods described above, women with more serious symptoms may respond best to a surgical procedure.

Today’s minimally invasive options mean you may be able to treat incontinence with a simple outpatient procedure. In one type of treatment, your surgeon inserts a tape-like strip of mesh through very small incisions in the abdomen or vagina to support the urethra. The mesh acts as a supportive sling, allowing the urethra to stay closed when appropriate. Patients with incontinence caused by pelvic organ prolapse may opt for a pelvic floor repair procedure. During the procedure, the surgeon repositions the prolapsed or “dropped” organs and secures them to the surrounding tissues and ligaments, sometimes reinforced with a strip of soft mesh. Be sure to talk to a surgeons at Beverly Hills Physicians about the treatment options and vaginal rejuvenation surgery  that may be best for you.