Health A Minimal Surgical Approach to Treating Obesity

Severe obesity is a chronic condition that isdifficult to treat. The Center for DiseaseControl estimates that 65 percent of UnitedStates adults – more than 100 millionAmericans – are either overweight orobese. Obese patients are vulnerable toserious medical complications includingheart disease, stroke, diabetes, certain can-cers, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea andosteoarthritis. Taking control of yourweight now may help you avoid life-threat-ening illnesses later.

Constantine Frantzides, MD, PhD, FACS,is the Director of Minimally InvasiveSurgery at Evanston NorthwesternHealthcare and Professor of Surgery atNorthwestern University’s FeinbergSchool of Medicine. He's a pioneer inlaparoscopic surgery and he has describedand performed 13 first in the world laparo-scopic procedures. Laparoscopic gastricbypass surgery or laparoscopic gastric

banding are designed to induce and main-tain a significant amount of weight loss,while avoiding the large incision andlonger recovery time of conventionalweight-loss surgery. The use of a minimal-ly invasive approach may also result inminimal pain, minimal scarring, shorterrecovery time and shorter hospitalizationcompared to open surgery.

Did you ever wonder what you would do ifyou were given a chance to be thin?

I did all of the time…but I kept eating. Ineeded help -- serious surgical help. I wasmorbidly obese for 20 years. I knew thedefinition of morbid obesity, but I wentthrough my daily routine as if I was notmorbidly obese. Looking back I was tryingto fool myself into thinking somehoweverything would be fine. Thank goodnessthat reality kicked in and I woke up.

It all started at the park two and half yearsago with my grandson, who was a year old.I saw a woman about my age and size try-

ing to catch a little girl around the sameage as my grandson. She could not -- andit became a desperate situation becausethe little girl was heading for the street. Allended well, but I walked away cryingbecause I realized there had been manytimes with my children, and now with mygrandson, when they were not safe with mebecause of my weight. In fact, I had beenobese my children’s entire life. On manyoccasions, my children were teased

because of my weight --something they hadno control over. I know they also wonderedif they, too, would become fat. It’s onlynatural. Now here I was with my grand-son, knowing he may not be safe, andpotentially relive the same patterns. Thiscraziness needed to stop!

I decided I would get strong. I stoppedfooling myself into thinking that one morediet, one more pill, one more exercise rou-tine would help. I had tried all of thesethings and would lose some weight, but assoon as I changed the routine of themoment, I would gain back all I had lost,plus more. Then I found Dr. Frantzides. I

“The Gentler Surgeryfor the Treatment and

Control of Obesity”

847-570-1422

To register for a FREE SEMINAR or to make an appointment

please call:

Hear what our patients have to say!Please visit www.obesityhelp.com to

witness patient testimonials!

Seminars conducted by Dr. Frantzides quarterly

Evanston Hospital2650 Ridge Avenue

Frank Auditorium, Evanston

The Evanston Hospital BariatricProgram is accredited as a Center of

Excellence by the American College ofSurgeons, Blue Cross Blue Shield of

Illinois, Blue Cross Blue ShieldNational, and Cigna

BEFORE AFTER

One Patient’s Journey

Constantine T. Frantzides M.D., PhD, F.A.C.S.

BARIATRIC SURGERY

Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass (Weight loss surgery) COLON/RECTUM/SMALL INTESTINE

Laparoscopic Enterectomy (Resection of small bowel)Laparoscopic Ileocecectomy

(Resection of small intestine and cecum)Laparoscopic ColectomyLaparoscopic Low Anterior Resection of the

RECTOSIGMOID COLON

Laparoscopic Abdominoperineal ResectionLaparoscopic Total ProctocolectomyLaparoscopic RectopexyLaparoscopic Appendectomy

ESOPHAGUS

Laparoscopic Fundoplication (Gastroesophageal Reflux Surgery)

Laparoscopic Hiatal Hernia Repair with or without mesh

Laparoscopic Esophagomyotomy (Heller Myotomy -For the treatment of Achalasia)

Laparoscopic EsophagectomyLaparoscopic Transgastric Esophageal Mucosal

Resection (For the treatment of severe dysplasia)Hernia

Laparoscopic Inguinal Hernia RepairLaparoscopic Ventral/Incisional Hernia RepairLaparoscopic Femoral Hernia RepairLaparoscopic Diaphragmatic Hernia Repair

(Congenital or Traumatic)Kidney/Adrenal

Laparoscopic Nephrectomy (Kidney removal)Laparoscopic Donor NephrectomyLaparoscopic Adrenalectomy

LIVER/BILE DUCTS/GALLBLADDER

Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy (Removal of the gall bladder)

Laparoscopic Common Bile Duct ExplorationLaparoscopic Liver BiopsyLaparoscopic Hepatectomy (Removal of a segment of

the liver)Laparoscopic Liver Cyst Drainage/RemovalLaparoscopic Radiofrequency Ablation of Liver

TumorsPancreas

Laparoscopic Pancreatectomy (Resection of a segment of pancreas for benign/malignant disease)

Laparoscopic Pseudocystojejunostomy/Pseudocystogastrostomy (Drainage of Pancreatic Cyst)

SPINE

Laparoscopic Anterior Spinal Fusion SPLEEN

Laparoscopic Splenectomy STOMACH

Laparoscopic Highly Selective Vagotomy (For treat ment of duodenal ulcers)

Laparoscopic Truncal Vagotomy and PyloroplastyLaparoscopic Gastrectomy Partial/Total (Resection for

benign and malignant disease)Laparoscopic GastrojejunostomyLaparoscopic Gastrostomy

OTHER

Diagnostic LaparoscopyLaparoscopic Peritoneal Dialysis Catheter PlacementLaparoscopic Mesenteric/Retroperitoneal Lymph Node

BiopsyLaparoscopic Omental Flap

Dr. Frantzides is the Director of Minimally Invasive Surgery at EvanstonNorthwestern Healthcare and professor of surgery at NorthwesternUniversity. He is recognized worldwide as an expert in the field of

laparoscopic surgery and is a charter member of the United States LaparoscopicFounders’ Society. His experience in laparoscopic gastrointestinal surgery is oneof the most extensive in the U.S.

He has traveled internationally to perform and teach laparoscopic operations.During the last 16 years, he has organized 31 laparoscopic courses through which331 surgeons were trained in laparoscopic surgery, he has made more than 200contributions to medical literature and has published 2 books on laparoscopic surgery. Dr. Frantzides has been the recipient of several awards and honors, aswell as grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and from the surgicalindustry. He is also credited with inventing two surgical instruments used inlaparoscopic surgery. Because of his academic activities in laparoscopic surgery,as well as his surgical skills, he was given the “Achievement award for advancedlaparoscopic surgery” by the American Society of General Surgery. See completecurriculum vitae for Dr. Frantzides at www.laparoscopicexperts.com.

Laparoscopic Procedures Preformed by Dr. Frantzides

remember waiting to see him and in mymind I was thinking that he would look atme and think, “What a loser. How did shelet herself go?” But just the opposite hap-pened. I was treated with so much respect,reassured that everything would be alrightand that my quality of life would improve. Ileft the office armed with a surgery date andI have never looked back, other than to thinkabout how much time I wasted not havingthe surgery sooner. The day of my surgery Iweighed 270 lbs. That's more than some ofthe Chicago Bears football players!

The first day of the rest of my life was March7, 2004. It has been a wonderful journey. Inow weigh 130lbs. It’s hard to believe thatI lost more than I currently weigh. I chaseafter my grandson all of the time now. I’mhealthier than I think I have ever been. I

learned so much about myself during thisprocess, as well. It was not until after Istarted losing weight that I became honestabout how compromised my former lifehad been. My only regret has been notdoing the surgery sooner. I will never beable to give back to Dr. Frantzides what he has given me. My life is priceless.As for Dr. Frantzides, he finds joy in knowing that no other surgery he does hasthe ability to change a person’s life in themanner that gastric bypass does. It’s comforting to know that I will be healthier in my 50’s, 60’s and beyond. Iknow that one day I will die, but I WILL NOT DIE FROM OBESITY.

For more information visit:www.laparoscopicexperts.com.