SIUH’s Center for the Surgical Treatment of Obesity offers gastric bypass, sleeve gastrostomy, and Lap-Band surgeries

by Jessica Jones-Gorman Photos By Amessé Photography

Since its invention in the 1960s, bariatric surgery has progressed remarkably. Morphing from a little-known procedure to a more mainstream method, the surgical treatment is now a common option for people who cannot lose weight by other means or who suffer from serious health problems related to obesity. At Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH), the technique has its own dedicated department.

“Bariatric Surgery refers to a group of several different operations which all work towards the same outcome of weight loss,” noted Dr. Karen E. Gibbs, Chief of Bariatric and Minimally Invasive Surgery at the hospital. “There’s gastric bypass, a number of bands, sleeve gastrectomy—which is currently the most common—and a duodenal switch procedure, which is the least common. All four fall under the heading of bariatric surgery, but all are very technically different.”

Established in 1998, SIUH’s Center for the Surgical Treatment of Obesity is a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary center which has completed more than 2,000 cases, with safety and success rates at or above national norms. Offering gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy and Lap- Band® surgeries, the center tailors each procedure to specific patient needs—most providing significant weight loss within 12 to 24 months following the procedure.

“Bariatric surgery is different than many other procedures,” Dr. Gibbs said. “If you’re having issues with your gall bladder that require surgery, you could book it within a few days depending on how emergent your case is. But with weight loss surgery, there is a three- to six-month process which has to do with prepping the appropriate candidate, who must first meet all of the nationally-mandated requirements.”

Reserved for those who fall into the morbidly obese category, candidates pursuing the surgery must be about 100 pounds overweight or have a body mass index greater than 40 (normal indexes fall in the 18.5–24.9 range). The impact of weight on a patient’s overall health and longevity is also taken into consideration. Those suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even cancer may be a candidate if their BMI totals 35 or more.

“Weight loss surgery is not an overnight procedure; the patterns we have in life took a while to develop…there is no quick fix or silver bullet that will reverse them in one day, one week, or even one month,” Gibbs said. “Part of that three- to six-month process is to train patients about triggers and how they deal with food, teach people how to start looking at themselves and their diet differently. Those who sign on for this surgery are made aware that they need to make lifelong changes in order to have success. These operations work effectively and at their maximum potential when a commitment to proper diet and exercise is made.”

A multi -disciplinary team approach to the surgical treatment of obesity is used at SIUH, and specialists from the areas of nutrition, surgery, psychiatry, internal and pulmonary medicine, cardiology, anesthesia, rehabilitation, and social work are called upon to provide a comprehensive preoperative evaluation, perioperative management, and post-operative follow-up. Support group meetings are also held monthly at the hospital and the program is committed to a lifetime of follow-up with patients.

“We are in constant contact for many months before and after the surgery,” Gibbs said.

The doctor, who is also the director of the Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship at SIUH, has participated in numerous research efforts spanning the areas of minimally invasive and bariatric surgery. She has presented both nationally and internationally in the field, has collaborated with many other surgical disciplines, and has been involved in minimally invasive surgical education. She completed her B.S. in Applied Anatomy and Physiology at Boston University and earned her medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine. She completed a General Surgery Residency and Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery Fellowship at Montefiore Medical Center, and came to SIUH in 2010.

“Dr. [John] Afthinos, Dr. [Roman] Grinberg and myself cover all of the bariatric cases that come through,” Gibbs said. “We are the only hospital here on Staten Island that does this type of surgery, and it is a wonderful benefit to have this program right here in the borough.”

SIUH’s Center for the Surgical Treatment of Obesity is constantly growing and expanding.

“We are constantly looking at outcomes and are always on the lookout for new ideas,” Gibbs concluded. “We spend a great deal of time just educating our patients on what weight loss surgery is…the benefits and risks. We may be leading the process in the operating room, but our success is based around how the patient follows up and changes their lifestyle. That’s why we’re always keeping track of what’s going on in the world of weight loss, both nationally and internationally, bringing the best advice and techniques to our patients right here.”

SIUH’s Center for the Surgical Treatment of Obesity
256C Mason Ave., 3rd Floor / 718. 226.1300