Chairman's Message - Weill Cornell Medical College - A New York ...

DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY
NEWS
New Advances in Laparoscopic and Bariatric Surgery
The Section of Laparoscopic and Bariatric
Surgery, led by Dr. Alfons Pomp,
the Leon C. Hirsch Professor of Surgery,
is internationally-recognized for
pioneering advanced laparoscopic bariatric
surgery. Our surgeons have developed
innovative surgical procedures
that are at the forefront of weight-loss
techniques, as well as new laparoscopic
procedures for a broad range of digestive
disorders.
Over 95 percent of all weight-loss surgeries
are performed by the Section’s
surgeons utilizing minimally-invasive
techniques, resulting in more rapid recoveries,
less scarring and an earlier return
to the activities of daily living. These include laparoscopic
Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, adjustable gastric band, and duodenal
switch. In addition, Weill Cornell weight loss surgeons
have pioneered the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy as a
new procedure for weight loss for patients. The section performs
over 200 of these procedures annually as well as more
than 500 general surgery procedures with a minimally invasive
approach, including esophageal, stomach, gallbladder,
intestinal, and solid organ (pancreas and spleen) disorders
as well as hiatal (GERD), paraesophageal, inguinal, and
ventral/incisional hernias.
In addition to providing state-of-the-art patient care, the Section
has a vigorous clinical research program. The section
receives support from the National Institute of Diabetes and
Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and our surgeons participate
in a Bariatric Surgery Clinical Research Consortium
of only six centers nationwide, conducting the Longitudinal
Study and Assessment of Bariatric surgery (LABS) trial. Dr.
Gladys Strain is a senior member of the research team and
has presented her work at several national meetings including
The Obesity Society (TOS) in Orlando, Florida as well as
in Doha, Qatar. Liz Goldenberg, MPH, RD, CDN, one of our
section’s nutritionists, continues to be active as an editorial
board member of The Bariatric Times and has authored two
publications this year.
The Section overall is extremely active in their academic
pursuits with 6 peer- reviewed publications (Dr. Pomp
is on the editorial board of Surgical Endoscopy, Obesity
Surgery and SOARD) as well as three book chapters
coming out this year. In addition, a joint study on body
contouring after bariatric surgery with Drs. Jason Spector
and Alyssa Reiffel from the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive
Surgery, will appear shortly in the Annals of
Plastic Surgery. The section’s expertise is widely-recognized
and our faculty were invited to present and lecture
at 9 national meetings and 3 international meetings this
year. Highlights include a significant presence at Society
of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons
(SAGES-the minimal invasive surgery) meeting in San
Antonio, Texas, as well as the American Society of Metabolic
and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) meeting in Orlando,
Florida. Both Dr. Dakin and Dr. Pomp sit on several committees
in both these societies. Both surgeons have also
participated in or directed industry sponsored courses for
practicing surgeons and residents in Washington, DC and
in Cincinnati, Ohio. Dr. Pomp showcased our techniques
by performing live surgery at the International Federation
of Surgery for Obesity (IFSO) meeting in Hamburg, Germany
this past September.
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NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center