Marshall Smith, MD

OBGYN.net is planning a new section for our web site. We are dedicating a section to both the wellness of women and to general topics of special interest to women. We are starting to develop these new topics here on the Women's Home Page in preparation for the new section, which should be online this summer. To launch the new theme, we have selected as our first topic a concern of many women... weight control. In order to provide some insight into some of the problems faced by women today who are overweight, our publisher and president Roberta Speyer has agreed to document her own recent surgery that was performed in an effort for weight reduction.

Roberta recently traveled to Germany to have this surgery performed laparoscopically by one of the world's experts in this procedure. It is still in the investigative stages in the United States, but it is already being performed widely throughout Europe, as well as in other areas around the world. Currently, 85% of the patients having this surgery are female, so this certainly speaks to the fact it tends to be an issue primarily among women. Roberta has kindly agreed to provide OBGYN.net some perspective as to some of the life-long problems and prejudices encountered as an overweight woman in today's society.

Marshall Smith, MD
MediSpecialty.com Medical Consultant

At this time, three years post-op, Roberta is satisfied with the outcome of her surgery and hopes you have found her story helpful in your search for answers. Please direct any questions about LAP BAND surgery to your personal physician, or email the product makers directly at: 

http://www.inamed.com/contact/bio_patient.cgi

.  Due to time restraints Roberta Speyer and the OBGYN.net team cannot respond to personal emails.

See Professor Rudolf Weiner's website about Weight Loss Surgery to see if this option is right for you. Visit 

Articles

OBGYN.net is planning a new section for our web site. We are dedicating a section to both the wellness of women and to general topics of special interest to women. We are starting to develop these new topics here on the Women's Home Page in preparation for the new section, which should be online this summer.

Gastric Lap Band Surgery For Weight Loss

Coverage of the 37th Annual Global Congress on Minimally Invasive Gynecology

New laparoscopy fellowship

Second opinions

Click             here for RealAudio/Video version

   “Good afternoon, we’re back at the 1999 AAGL.  I have with me Dr. Sue  Johnson who is actually the OBGYN.net Representative for Oregon, and  we’re honored and pleased to have you in the booth with us.  Thanks for  coming today.”
       
       

  “Thank you very much.”
       
       

 “Essentially,  everybody knows there’s a lot of discussions, controversies, and debates  right now about the resurgence or reemergence, if you will, of the  supracervical hysterectomy versus the traditional kind we’ve always  done, the pros and cons of each, and it’s a debate that goes on and on.   Dr. Johnson is doing supracervical hysterectomies, and I just would  like her to tell us a little bit of what the situation is in her home  state of Oregon – Dr. Johnson.”
       
       

  “Thank  you.  Primarily, supracervical hysterectomy is chosen right now by women  who have done a lot of self-education once they realize that  hysterectomy is part of what they’re going to have to consider for a  treatment option.  They’re highly motivated but as the conference here  has confirmed, the studies are quite good, this is an acceptable method,  and it’s quite safe.  There’s a learning curve for many physicians but  it’s well worth the time because patient outcomes are excellent.   They’re absolutely excellent, and continued Pap smears will be needed  but no one looks at that as a problem if the woman has made the decision  that her cervix is important to keep.”
       
       

 “Absolutely, I’ve found the same thing in my practice.  It’s amazing how well they do.”
       
       

  “Extremely  well.  I think the endoscopic approach, even if it’s a total  hysterectomy, is something that is really superior.  I have patients who  are returning to work in two weeks.  I have patients whether or not  they are returning to work who are doing better much more quickly,  requiring less analgesia, and happy about it.”
       
       

 “Absolutely.  So your patients with the supracervical hysterectomy - isn’t it dramatic how quickly they’re returning?”
       
       

 “It is indeed impressive, isn’t it?”
       
       

  “Yes, I  have one patient who assures me that whenever she’s talking to friends  about her experience this past year, she raises her shirt and shows them  her incisions.”
       
       

“The first one  that I did wanted to go home the same day, that was a 7:30 case.  I  called at noon to check on her, and she had already gone home from her  supracervical hysterectomy.”
       
       

  “Actually,  I had a very similar experience with a patient, she was in her room on  the phone by noon and spent the entire day talking and had friends come  visit.  Her husband worked at the hospital so she was busy all day and  night.  Her biggest post-operative complication was her sore throat the  next morning.”
       
       

 “From talking on the phone.”
       
       

  “From talking on the phone and in person - couldn’t keep her down.”
       
       

 “Thank you very much, Dr. Johnson, for joining us here.”
       
       

 “And we’ll look forward to seeing you next year.”

OBGYN.net Conference CoverageFrom American Association of Gynecological LaparoscopistsLas Vegas, Nevada, November, 1999

Marshall Smith, MD

Articles

Gastric Lap Band Surgery For Weight Loss

New laparoscopy fellowship

Second opinions

Supracervical Hysterectomy