Portion-Control Solution Offered at Theda Clark Medical Center
Raymond F. Georgen, M.D., and Kevin E. Wasco, M.D. of Midwest Bariatric Solutions are the first two surgeons in Wisconsin, and two of only a select few in the country now performing the newly FDA-approved ORBERA™, a non-surgical procedure that emphasizes portion control. The incision-free solution gives patients a path to weight loss that does not require traditional surgery, especially those for whom diet, exercise or pharmaceutical interventions have not worked.
In Wisconsin, this newest procedure is exclusively available through Midwest Bariatric Solutions, in conjunction with ThedaCare, and is part of a comprehensive, two-part program. It is performed at Theda Clark Medical Center in Neenah.
“It starts by non-surgically inserting the deflated balloon into the patient’s stomach during a procedure much like an endoscopy, and the patient is mildly sedated,” explained Dr. Georgen. “The balloon is then filled with saline and remains in the stomach where it takes up space for approximately six months. During this time, the balloon helps patients eat smaller meals to reinforce proper portion control.”
The intragastric balloon procedure typically takes between 20-30 minutes. Patients go home the same day and return to work the next day. Six months later, the balloon is deflated and removed through another similar non-surgical procedure.
While the balloon is in place, patients receive part two of the program, which is additional dietary counseling from ThedaCare experts to help patients develop sustainable, healthy habits and meet long-term weight-loss goals.
“Finally, adults with a body mass index of between 30-40 who’ve had a difficult time losing weight and/or keeping weight off now have an option other than surgery,” said Dr. Wasco. “No incision, nothing irreversible, and this is not a drug—we’re giving patients in Wisconsin an entirely new weight-loss option.”
Obesity affects more than 78.6 million U.S. adults and is one of the leading causes of preventable deaths in the nation. Wisconsin now has the 14th highest adult obesity rate in the nation according to the Trust for America’s Health and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
More than 220,000 patients in 80 countries have used the ORBERA™ weight-loss device in the past 20 years. It only recently received FDA approval for use in the United States following clinical trials showing the average participant lost 3.1 times the weight lost through diet and exercise alone over a six-month period.
Drs. Georgen, MD, and Wasco, co-founded Midwest Bariatrics Solutions in 2002 and co-direct the Theda Clark Bariatric Program.
Drs. Georgen and Wasco have performed thousands of bariatric surgeries and procedures that restrict the amount of food the stomach can hold. About 200 patients annually receive multidisciplinary care through Midwest Bariatric Solutions and ThedaCare, the only program in Wisconsin to offer the procedure. For more information, visit www.MidwestBariatrics.com.
For more than 100 years, ThedaCare™ has been committed to finding a better way to deliver serious and complex healthcare to patients throughout Northeast Wisconsin. The organization serves over 200,000 patients annually and employs more than 6,800 healthcare professionals throughout the region. ThedaCare has seven hospitals located in Appleton, Neenah, Berlin, Waupaca, Shawano, New London and Wild Rose as well as 35 clinics in 14 counties. ThedaCare is the first in Wisconsin to be a Mayo Clinic Care Network Member, giving our specialists the ability to consult with Mayo Clinic experts on a patient’s care. ThedaCare is a non-profit healthcare organization with a level II trauma center, comprehensive cancer treatment, stroke and cardiac programs as well as a foundation dedicated to community service. Construction of ThedaCare Regional Cancer Center in Appleton is underway. For more information, visit www.thedacare.org or follow ThedaCare on Facebook and Twitter.
