Health Watch is a Public Service of the Office of News and Publications and is intended to provide general information only and should not replace the advice of a medical professional. You should contact your physician if you have questions about any of these topics.
New developments in medical technology are making medicine today look like the science fiction of just a few years ago. This week on Healthwatch, we'll discuss some of these innovations that may already be making a difference in your life.
If you've watched reality TV makeover shows or commercials for seemingly miraculous weight-loss surgery, you've probably heard of bariatric surgery. This is a procedure that dramatically reduces the size of a patient's stomach so he or she feels full with less food, and is therefore more likely to lose weight.
Dr. Jeffrey Kenkel, a plastic surgeon at UT Southwestern Medical Center, says this surgery alone may not give you a slim appearance. Liposuction and plastic surgery to deal with extra skin after extreme weight loss may be necessary. Patients considering bariatric surgery need to know that it could be a 3- to 5-year process involving multiple surgeries.
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July 2005
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