NEW bariatric center at SOCH in Manahawkin!

mickeycheffers
on 10/15/08 1:42 am - ship bottom, NJ

hello all i am new here, and i am on the road to a lap band ( hopefully! )

One of the things that was getting me frustrated was the lack of bariatric doctors in my area ( Manahawkin NJ, LBI ) there are 2 in Atlantic county near us, and although I have seen rave reviews on them, getting a 1st appointment is murder b/c they are sooooo busy!! Almost 2 months out for the 1st initial visit after the seminar, and you all know how anxious we are to get started!!!

SOCH in Manahawkin has JUST announced their bariatric center, with 3 doctors from North Jersey...
dr carbalinardo, dr reich and dr strom.....

I have my 1st appointment with Dr Strom THIS FRIDAY!!! and the office staff was so nice! I didn't have to leave a message and wait for a call back ( if ever ) like I had to with 1 of the other Dr's offices in Atlantic County..... This bothered me to no avail....

anyone interested the direct office number is 978-3325 they are calling themselves stafford surgical associates...

here is the article from the soch website for anyone interested!!

SOCH Introduces Its New Center for Bariatrics

October 1, 2008

Southern Ocean County Hospital (SOCH) is proud to unveil its new Center for Bariatrics, announced Joseph P. Coyle, president and CEO of SOCH. The Center for Bariatrics at SOCH provides residents with the expertise of experienced, board-certified, fellowship-trained surgeons specializing in minimally invasive and bariatric surgery procedures. What's more, The Center offers a full range of services designed to address the physical and emotional changes that can accompany weight loss surgery. This includes educational seminars, support, nutrition and exercise programs.

"We are very excited to bring a comprehensive bariatrics program to SOCH," said Mr. Coyle. "This new service furthers our commitment to ensure that our neighbors in southern Ocean County need look no further than their community hospital for ease of access to the most advanced medical care available."

The surgeons with the Center for Bariatrics at SOCH bring with them extensive knowledge and training in bariatric surgery. "The Center's medical director, Dr. Karl Strom, has performed over 1,500 bariatric surgery procedures, and was fellowship-trained in laparoscopic surgery at West Chester Medical Center, New York Medical College," said Mr. Coyle. "We are also pleased to welcome bariatric surgeon Dr. Jonathan Reich, who was fellowship-trained in advanced laparoscopic and bariatric surgery from the Cleveland Clinic.

The Center for Bariatrics at SOCH is designed to help people who suffer from debilitating, and oftentimes life-threatening medical conditions that can occur as a result of obesity.

According to Dr. Strom, for most people, a balanced diet coupled with exercise is the key to effective weight loss. However, for those who suffer from obesity, diet and exercise alone are usually not enough to bring about long-term relief from the physical, social and emotional consequences of dealing with this chronic disease.

"Research has shown that obesity is often caused by genetics, environment, and lifestyle" explained Dr. Strom. "It is a process that occurs over a long period of time (10 to 30 years) so for some people, no matter how they try, the weight just does not come off". According to the American Society for Bariatric Surgery, obesity is a serious disease and must be treated as such. It is also characterized as a chronic disease, meaning that its symptoms build slowly over an extended period of time.

"People who suffer from obesity are at an increased risk for a number of health conditions that can seriously impact quality of life and significantly reduce life expectancy," said Dr. Strom. "These include type two diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis of the knees and hips, sleep apnea, respiratory problems, heartburn and gastric reflux, blood clots in the leg veins and certain types of cancer."

According to Dr. Strom, bariatric surgery is a great treatment option that can help alleviate the symptoms of many debilitating diseases associated with obesity.

"There are two basic approaches to bariatric surgery, restrictive procedures and malabsorptive procedures," explained Dr. Strom. "Restrictive procedures work by reducing the amount of food consumed at one time. Malabsorptive procedures alter digestion, causing the food to be poorly digested, resulting in less calories consumed. According to Dr. Strom, the adjustable gastric band, or Lap Band procedure, is restrictive because it controls the amount of food that a person can eat at one time.

"During Lap Band, an adjustable band is placed around the upper portion of the stomach, creating a small pouch and narrow passageway into the rest of the stomach, limiting the amount of food that can be consumed," Dr. Strom explained. "As food enters the pouch, the patient will feel full until digestion occurs and the pouch empties. Patients will lose 1 to 3 pounds a week and up to 50 percent of their excess body weight in one year. The band is first adjusted six weeks following surgery and the patient will then be followed closely for future adjustments and a successful outcome. The adjustments do not require additional surgery, and are a regular part of post-operative follow-up. The adjustments are done by simply inflating or deflating the band." Another surgical option, the gastric bypass, is a combined restrictive and malabsorptive procedure because it limits the amount of food that can be consumed and results in decreased absorption. In this surgery, staples are used to separate a small pouch at the top of the stomach, creating a new stomach half the size of a fist. Malabsorption occurs by food bypassing some of the intestinal tract and less calories are absorbed by the body.

"We perform these surgeries using advanced laparoscopy, which means the surgery is done using small incisions as opposed to a major incision. The benefits to the patients are tremendous and include faster recovery and a lower risk of complications. We fully prepare our patients with an extensive pre-operative work up to make sure that it will be a safe operation for the patient. I encourage potential patients to learn as much as they can about bariatric surgery before making a decision to move forward," said Dr. Strom. "Our seminars are designed to fully inform potential patients of the procedures available to them and answer any questions they might have."

For those who have already had bariatric surgery and are not losing enough weight or regaining weight, The Center for Bariatrics offers a revision procedure," said Dr. Strom. "The revision technique involves no abdominal or internal incisions, faster recovery than with open laparoscopic procedures, and less pain than with laparoscopy."

SOCH will offer a free education program called "Weight Loss Surgery: The Facts" the 3rd Tuesday of each month from October through December at 7pm at The Family Resource Center at the Ocean Club, 700 Route 9 South in Manahawkin. To register, for additional seminar dates and locations, or for referral to a physician specializing in bariatric surgery at SOCH, call SOCH Connect at 609-978-3400.