Local medical center is one of only a few nationwide, to perform the newest non-surgical, reversible weight loss procedure
Louisa, KY – Approved by the FDA in June, Three Rivers Medical Center is the first hospital in Kentucky, and one of only a few nationwide, to perform the newest non-surgical, reversible weight loss procedure.
The procedure utilizes a tube to drain a portion of the stomach contents after every meal.
“The staggering truth is that more than one-third of adults in America are obese and sometimes losing the weight is not just a matter of willpower, but can be influenced by many biological factors,” said Dr. Thomas Frazier, the gastroenterologist who performed the first procedure. ”Providing this type of non-surgical weight loss option can mean the difference for many individuals struggling with associated health issues and low quality of life.”
The procedure enables patients to remove up to 30 percent of a meal from the stomach through a thin tube after eating so the body doesn’t absorb the calories, causing weight loss. During a 15-minute procedure under twilight sedation, a thin tube is placed in the stomach, connecting to a discreet button on the abdomen. Patients can remove up to 30 percent of a meal directly into the toilet using a smartphone-sized device. The device used in the procedures was approved by the FDA in June 2016.
Patients also must learn to eat more slowly and chew carefully to ensure digested material can fit through the tube, helping patients learn to eat smaller portion sizes. Once the patient achieves his or her desired weight loss, the tube can be removed, or left in place indefinitely if the patient chooses.
“We are excited to be a pioneer in the state by offering people struggling with obesity a new, less invasive weight loss option compared to bariatric surgery,” said Greg Kiser, CEO of Three Rivers Medical Center.
For more information on this new weight loss procedure, Please contact Three Rivers Gastroenterology at (606) 638-4656.
About Three Rivers Medical Center
Three Rivers Medical Center is your community healthcare provider; a 90-bed acute care facility accredited by The Joint Commission. We believe in the power of people to create great care. We provide essential hospital essential hospital services and are proud to house an accredited Chest Pain Center and a Sleep Disorders Center. And we work hard every day to be a place of healing, caring and connection for patients and families in the community we call home.
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