StomaphyX

Is it ok for you to do a procedure that is known not to work. Look at the advertisements here. These are off label procedures known not to work. Well they dont work, it is false hope. These docs are bad news for anyone trying to get to their ideal weight. Some of these doctors in here make a lot of money from this. You can decide on your own. But I can tell you with the info I have the only winner here is the doc..and shame on him!

And for all of you considering this, I once worked for the company, EGS, that makes this device.  There is a lot of money to be made by these doctors, but they know this does not work.  Find a new doctor, run from the Overcashs, Garbers, and such. They want your money not your health!

I am a dually trained, dually board certified, and dually re-certified General and Plastic Surgeon (American Board of Plastic Surgery and American Boared of Surgery). My practice is 80% devoted to the care and surgical management of massive weight loss patients and many of my patients post on these boards. You, sir or madam, are a shameless, and anonymous, slanderer, libeler, and defamer. Your "knowlege" has been challenged and you offer only hollow rhetoric in reply. You have no credibility, period, and the others who have replied seem to agree with me. You appear to be one who has an axe to grind, for whatever selfish reasons, and now have damaged EGS Inc., Dr.s' Garber and Overcash, and Joyce. Your electronic trail can be traced via your posting IP addresses and You will likely be called to task for your reckless and tortuous actions. Unlike you, I have direct patient experience with the outcomes of the Stomaphyx procedure and my DIRECT OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIENCES contradict your baseless rants. Most patients achieve satisfying improvement with this procedure. It is rarely covered by insurance, and your opinions are absurd, ill informed, and groundless. Dr. Eric Schlesinger has shared our office space for the last few months and is going into his suite on the third floor of our building in the next few weeks. He has accrued substantial experience in Stomaphyx and tells me that he has done more of these procedures than any Dr. west of the eastern seaboard. Folks, get your information from credible sources, not a disgruntled ex-employee whose agenda is clear.

First of all, feel free to track me down as you threaten. Unfortunately, your interpretation of the legal definition of slander, libel, and defamation as well as your lack of understanding of tort law has rendered your legal opinion as impotent as your medical procedure. In my experience, which is substantial in this area, any doctor who would perform a procedure that is known to fail nearly 100% of the time really does have some credibility issues - which when called to task often resembles a statement like the one you have written above. Since you have no scientific evidence to show that this procedure which costs upwards of $10k works, I wonder how (and why) you are marketing this procedure so hard? Why you are so defensive when called to account for your actions? And why are there people on this board who claim to be health care professionals innocently working for a doctor yet promoting the product without any scientific evidence. From an ethical standpoint, I have not been able to find a medical device in full commercialization that has not had a single clinical trial done to show its efficacy or research paper written on it except, of course, for StomaphyX. So when you claim my actions are reckless and tortuous, I'm not the one sticking an untested, unproven device down someone's esophagus to see what will happen and then take their check on the way out the door. I'm simply telling people it may be in their best interest to utilize doctors who are committed to using scientifically proven procedures that are on label and cleared for a specific indication by the FDA. Sorry if this somehow interrupts you plans for that new boat DrGitt.

So again, can you provide facts showing that stomaphyx fails "nearly 100% of the time."  Why can't you answer this question?

Hi Lullaby 123, There aren't any published studies I can link you to -  which is exactly the problem. A product on the market without any clinical information is, to my knowledge, without precedent. The only information about this procedure and outcomes have been presentations at society meetings. At every event there was no or limited long term weight loss and in some cases weight regain higher that the pre-procedure weight. The initial weight loss appears to be due to the liquid diet, after that the weight loss stops and is eventually regained. I wish I could give you more information - but as you might imagine - I don't suspect the company will be holding any clinical trials to demonstrate their device does not work for weight loss any time soon. My caution is only that it is the responsibility, ethical and otherwise, of the device maker to have clinical evidence prior to commercializing a product. If the company truly did believe that the device worked for the purpose of weight loss then you would think they would be the first ones out there doing research to promote the product. Instead, as in this case, the silence speaks volumes.

Then giving your opinion is one thing but stating more than once that stomaphyx fails nearly or always 100% of the time is baseless and without merit.  Since we really don't know one way or another because there ARE in fact no published studies in favor of or against. I think it is fair to say that EVERY WLS procedure's long term outcome varies upon the individual person.  Why are some people 100% successful with RNY and some fail miserably?  Many times it is due to CHOICES.   Altering physical anatomy can only affect weight loss if you want to make it work for you.  ANY WLS can be beaten and THAT is proven.   I myself have not had stomaphyx but I have had the RESTORe procedure which tightens the stoma endoscopically.  I am 6 weeks out and have lost 30 pounds and I am THRILLED with the results thus far.  I lost 15 pounds on the liquid diet (2 weeks) but have since lost another 15 more and have lots of restriction and hunger only at mealtimes.  I really hope this procedure becomes available to the public.   Anyway, your OPINION is noted.  Please post again when you can back up your theories. 

I think the RESTORe procedure is a very well done clinically proven study and very well could be the revolutionary product that benefits people who need this type of surgery. StomaphyX is not. StomaphyX was pushed to market without ever having a single clinical study done on it. That is a fact not opinion. In addition, I have been at many international conferences where StomaphyX was presented and the results were always poor. Having many years of experience in this area of medicine, including working inside the OR, tells me that StomaphyX is bad news for patients. Its your 10k spend it how you like...

LOL !  Sooooo...the truth is unraveling.  You are so transparent!  This isn't even about Stomaphyx !  .....It apparently has to do with your loss of a job!  You could be claiming the same type of folly about any procedure but here you go......trashing a procedure that just happened to be the focus of your last employer!   I mistakingly jumped on a white horse to champion the underdog when in reality would have been better off  focusing on YOUR motives. I'll be sweeping this under my mental carpet with all other garbage that has accumulated!  .....While I get ready for my upcoming Revision that according to you isn't really happening! I'm shifting gears and getting back to the happy postings of helping others and getting help. Joyce in AZ Proximal to Distal Revision 12/26/07

Buyer beware!