Vim & Vigor - Spring 2014 - Gwinnett Medical Center - (Page 56)

Transforming HealtHcare This minimally invasive technique is an option for people seeking surgical weight loss G winnett Medical Center surgeons have consistently embraced innovations that benefit the patient. Since 2009, GMC-Duluth has been offering minimally invasive robotic surgery as an alternative to open surgery or traditional laparoscopic surgery. Robotic surgery has been proven to minimize scars, pain, recovery time and instances of infection. With the robot, the surgeon's hand movements are translated into smaller, more precise movements by tiny instruments. The surgeon can see inside the body via an enhanced 3-D, high-definition 10x magnification camera, which brings real-time images to a console. This type of minimally invasive surgery has been used for years with procedures such as hysterectomies, prostatectomies, myomectomies, esophageal surgeries and hiatal hernia repairs. Now, robotic surgery is an option for many bariatric patients, too. Bariatric surgery (or weight management surgery) is a group of surgical procedures performed on ONLINE (Robotic) Helping Hand Have Questions About Weight-Loss Surgery? Watch a video online, see if you might be a candidate or register for an in-person seminar. Find these and other resources at gwinnettbariatrics.com. people who are morbidly obese, to achieve weight loss and improve health and the overall quality of life of a patient. "Morbid obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States, and the number of Americans who are obese is increasing," says Robert Richard, MD, medical director of GMC-Duluth's Center for Surgical Weight Management. "Bariatric surgery is the most efficient way to defeat the impact of obesity and the conditions associated with it: diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, high cholesterol and other conditions," Dr. Richard says. "Bariatric surgery requires a complete change of lifestyle, but the benefits of the surgery are worth all the work." Bariatric surgery typically reduces the capacity of the stomach by using one of three surgical methods, including gastric bypass. Dr. Richard is now performing some gastric bypass procedures with robotic surgery. Although most bariatric surgeries are minimally invasive, using the robot for gastric bypass takes this one step further. The goal of minimally invasive surgery is to access the surgical site with negligible damage to the skin, muscles and other surrounding tissue, which often means a quicker recovery. Dr. Richard works closely with the patient to determine which procedure is right for him or her, robotic or otherwise. "Morbid obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States, and the number of Americans who are obese is increasing." -Robert Richard, MD 56 SPRING 2 014 http://www.gwinnettbariatrics.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Spring 2014 - Gwinnett Medical Center

Vim & Vigor - Spring 2014 - Gwinnett Medical Center
Contents
Phil’s Feature
Staying Ahead of Concussions
The Recovery Zone
Occupational Hazards
The New Rules of Play
Shopping for Two
Back to Basics
Burn, Baby, Burn
Angelina Jolie
Rock Your Health
Breaking Up with Salt
Disgusting! (or Not?)
Virtual Health
PrimeTime Health
Ready, Set, Run!
You Can Change the World
Out of the White Coat
Transforming Healthcare

Vim & Vigor - Spring 2014 - Gwinnett Medical Center