Many of the country’s top bariatric surgeons are in attendance at the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery’s 2011 meeting. ASMBS’s vision is “to improve public health and well-being by lessening the burden of the disease of obesity and related diseases throughout the world.” All week, surgeons are taking courses, listening to presentations on the latest research, and discussing best practices.
Yesterday there were a variety of postgraduate courses, including an integrated health postgraduate course designed for registered dietitians, nurses and nurse practitioners. There were also courses on the business aspects of a bariatric surgery practice, and a session for presentations by students, residents and fellows. Dr. Daniel Cottam spoke about root causes of medical errors in a course on a system approach to patient safety. There was standing room only at the advanced laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy course, during which Dr. Gregg Jossart shared his extensive experience in two presentations, one on technical aspects on another on treatment of gastroesophageal reflux after sleeve gastrectomy.
The plenary session began this morning with a session on the top papers, which included talks on complications after sleeve gastrectomy and duodenal switch, in large series including over 1000 patients each. Dr. Marina Kurian moderated the next session on safety in bariatric surgery, which included presentations on outpatient (less than 24 hour stay) laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery by Dr. Titus Duncan and an analysis of factors predictive of mortality in bariatric surgery by Dr. Kevin Reavis.
Tomorrow includes more courses and panel discussions.
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