407260LBH Health Matters.indd - London Bridge Hospital

Sinus Clinic | GastroenterologyThe Intra-Gastric Balloon:A New InnovationFor Weight LossObesity is a worldwide problem. The health consequences of being obeseare extensive and include heartburn, high blood pressure, diabetes, heartdisease, arthritis, liver failure and cancer. Being obese shortens lifespan.It is for this reason that the Government has wisely made fighting obesitya national health priority. If you are the 1 in 4 of the UK population whois deemed unhealthily overweight (obese) with a BMI greater than 35kg/m2, (i.e. your weight in kilos divided by your height in metres squared isgreater than 35) and want to lose weight, then help is at hand.Although the initial line of therapy is toalter behaviour in relation to food andto increase the level of exercise, we allknow how difficult that can be. Just likegiving up smoking, it can be difficult tolose weight.Medical help is available and iseffective when used in combinationwith behavioural and diet changes.The treatment ladder would usuallyinvolve advice from a dietician andpsychological support from a mentalhealth professional, if required. Thiswould be followed by the prescription ofmedication that reduce the absorptionof fat from the diet – orlistat or suppressappetite – sirbutramine or rimonabant. Ifthese measures are ineffective, the nextstep is to place into the stomach, withthe help of an endoscopic camera, undersedation, a specially designed, liquid-filled,silicone balloon.This innovation offers a safer, simplerand reversible alternative to restrictivestomach surgery – gastric bands andstomach bypass operations both ofwhich are major procedures requiring ageneral anaesthetic. A general anaestheticmay be particularly hazardous in theobese. These major operations, untilnow, have been the only options offeredto patients after pills have failed. Theadvent of balloon therapy is particularlywelcomed for this reason and becausethe balloon can also be placed in patientscontemplating having other surgery,who need to reduce their operativeobesity-related risks prior to surgery.The endoscopic procedure takes about20 minutes and, after an overnight stay inhospital to ensure tolerance of the balloon,the patient is discharged. Recent publishedevidence shows impressive results withthe balloon. It is designed to stay in thestomach for up to 4-6 months and is alsoremoved endoscopically under sedation.A treatment course would usually involve2 balloons placed sequentially over a 12-month period.Dr Jude Oben offers this innovativetreatment as part of a multi-layeredapproach to obesity treatment at TheLondon Bridge Hospital. Dr Oben isan Oxford and Johns Hopkins trainedConsultant Gastroenterologist/Hepatologistwith sub-specialty interest and researchexpertise in liver disease and obesity.Dr Jude ObenConsultant Gastroentorologist/Hepatologistand General Medicine SpecialistCity Sinus ClinicSinus problems are very common. Some studies suggest 16% ofLondoners may have sinusitis. Sinusitis is often underrated as a medicalcondition. It seriously affects quality of life but fortunately it can betreated very successfully.Sinusitis is an inflammation of thesinuses and sufferers can experience awide variety of symptoms, but it oftenfeels like having a permanent cold.Most patients respond well to medicaltreatment using a combination ofantibiotics, nasal steroid sprays, irrigationsand allergy treatments. Some of thesetreatments only provide temporaryrelief. These patients often benefitfrom further investigations and mayneed surgery in order to address theunderlying cause of their sinusitis.Your SurgeonMr David Roberts FRCS (ORL) isa Consultant Ear, Nose and Throatsurgeon appointed to Guy’s andSt Thomas’ Hospitals NHS Trust. He isaccredited by the Specialist AdvisoryCommittee in Otorhinolarygology– Head and Neck Surgery, and hasbeen awarded his Certificate ofSpecialist Training by the authority ofthe Medical Royal Colleges. He is aFellow of the Royal College of Surgeonsof England and a member of the BritishAssociation of Otorhinolarygology andthe European Rhinology Society. Heis the London Representative to theBritish Rhinological Society.How to Get in TouchThe City Sinus Clinic is held on a Tuesdayevening at 31 Old Broad Street from5pm to 8pm and appointments can bemade by telephoning:GP Liaison on: 020 7234 2120/2009between 9am and 5.30pm, Mondayto Friday. Or by emailing:gpliaisonlbh@hcahealthcare.co.ukCity Sinus Clinic now offers an additionaltechnique for sinus surgeons, BalloonSinuplasty, a new technique for sinusitissufferers. Please turn to page 14 formore details.10