麻豆果冻传媒

For Release: February 23, 2017

STANFORD, Calif. 鈥� Lucile Packard Children鈥檚 Hospital Stanford鈥檚 Adolescent Bariatric Surgery program is the first and only adolescent bariatric surgery program on the West Coast to receive accreditation by the

Since 2004, Packard Children鈥檚 has provided bariatric surgery to adolescents as a treatment option through the Packard Children鈥檚 Center for Healthy Weight. The program, which is modeled after , offers behavioral, educational and medical services to overweight children and adolescents.聽

鈥淣ot only are we the only center on the West Coast to be accredited so far, we are also one of three programs in the nation to receive accreditation to do this type of operation on adolescents,鈥� said Matias Bruzoni, MD, surgical director of the Adolescent Bariatric Surgery program and assistant professor of surgery at Stanford School of Medicine.

鈥淚 was captain of the water polo team and weighed almost 350 pounds, but I still wasn鈥檛 losing weight,鈥� she said.

Micaela鈥檚 mother had a successful gastric bypass surgery when Micaela was a child, so she encouraged her daughter to consider the same option. According to Dr. Bruzoni, it is fairly common for adolescent patients to opt for the surgery after seeing their parents successfully undergo the procedure

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is the most common bariatric surgery for adolescents, and it reduces the size of the stomach by nearly two-thirds. After surgery, the stomach ends up looking like sleeve or tube and will only accept a small volume of food. When the size of the stomach is reduced, the majority of the cells that produce the hormone that causes someone to feel hungry are also removed. In addition, the gastric emptying time may be lower than normal so patients feel full for longer periods.

鈥淎fter the surgery, patients eat less because their stomach is smaller and they have less of an appetite,鈥� said Bruzoni, who adds that patients need to eat smaller meals more frequently and take vitamins to ensure they are getting adequate nutrition.

Before a patient is considered to be a good candidate for the surgery, they must undergo a 4 to 6 month medical and psychological evaluation. Patients are required to commit to dietary changes and an exercise plan as part of the program, which takes a multidisciplinary approach that includes nutrition counseling and meeting with the program鈥檚 psychologist and social worker.

鈥淢ost obese patients who qualify for weight loss surgery have failed to lose weight by other methods,鈥� said Bruzoni. 鈥淭hey typically have diseases related to being overweight, such as sleep apnea, diabetes, hypertension and liver disorders. The good news is that scientific data show if you lose weight those diseases will go away.鈥�

The surgery has a profound impact on patients. 鈥淪ome of our patients tell us they are able to ride a bike or shop for clothes at regular stores, something they weren鈥檛 able to do before the surgery,鈥� he added.

Micaela began working with a nutritionist and psychologist when she was admitted to the program, and with their support she lost close to 50 pounds. After the surgery, the weight steadily came off as she continued with her exercise program and ate smaller meals. Now, 4 years after her surgery, she has lost a total of 165 pounds and is holding steady at around 180 pounds.

A student at Solana Community College, she said that while she will always have to follow a strict diet and exercise program, she feels more confident about keeping the weight off.

鈥淎fter the surgery, I really felt like a changed person, and I had a very powerful tool on my side,鈥� said Micaela. 鈥淔or the first time, I feel in control of my weight loss.鈥�

Media Contact:

Samantha Dorman
(650) 498-0756
sdorman@stanfordchildrens.org

Kate DeTrempe
(650) 721-8527
kdetrempe@stanfordchildrens.org