About Us...


A Short History of Bariatric Surgery

Surgeons began to explore the possibility of treating severe obesity in the late 1940s and early 1950s. In 1953, Dr. John Linner, the founder of this surgical group, performed the first weight loss surgery in a human -- a malabsorptive operation called a "jejunoileal bypass." His success with this operation led to its widespread adoption in the 1960s and 1970s.

Shortly after the Dr. Linner's ground-breaking work, Dr. Edward Mason at the University of Iowa reported the first "gastric bypass" for control of obesity in 1956. This ushered in an era of restrictive and combined operations which have led to the development of a large variety of surgical procedures. Increased interest by surgeons led many to devote their professional careers to this field including our current surgeons. One of our members, Dr. Raymond Drew, was Dr. Linner's orignal partner for many years and shared his experience.

As time has gone by, many refinements in surgical and anesthetic care of the obese have been made. As a result, operations for obesity are safer than in previous generations. The introduction of laparoscopic (small incisions) surgery has also resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of persons seeking surgical control of their disease. Surgery remains the most effective option for the majority of people who meet criteria for the disease of "morbid obesity".



History
This group of surgeons has had many names in the past, and has evolved into a surgical group committed to excellence in the care of the morbidly obese. Bariatric surgery has also evolved into a separate discipline of surgery, requiring an in-depth knowledge of multiple areas. These include anatomy, physiology, effects of alteration of the gastrointestinal tract, nutrition, cardiology, pulmonology, endocrinology, and the psychology of serious obesity.



Our Goals
We are engaged in the improvement of the health of morbidly obese persons. We wish to offer comprehensive medical, surgical, emotional, and psychological care for the group of people we serve. We want to provide a safe haven for treatment of a disease that is often not taken seriously by the public -- and give you a place to turn to for support and understanding. We provide excellence and skill in the provision of surgical tools to help those with the currently incurable disease of "morbid obesity."