Sunday, June 10, 2007 12:13 AM CDT BY CHRISTINE KRALY

The handful of nickels, dimes and cash in Angie and Darryl Cobb’s plastic bank may not be worth much.

Just their lives.

Over the last year, the Lake Station couple have collected the change during their nightly walks around the neighborhood. The money was found on walks they never thought they’d take and will go toward a vacation they never imagined planning.

Last year, the Cobbs underwent bariatric, or weight-loss, surgeries. Angie, 45, had laparoscopic, or Lap-Band, surgery; 47-year-old Darryl had a gastric bypass.

Business Wire

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c55891) has announced the addition of “Cosmetic Surgery Market Report 2007″ to their offering.

The UK cosmetic surgery industry is dynamic and growth levels are at a record high: the number of procedures, surgical and non-surgical, soared by 42.4% in 2005 and this report estimates that, in 2006, this increased by a further 53%. In 2006, the total UK cosmetic surgery was worth an estimated GBP 528.9m, a rise of 47.4% on 2005.

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) May 3, 2007 — A study published in a recent issue of the medical journal Surgical Endoscopy found that vertical sleeve gastrectomy is an effective surgical option in certain medical circumstances when compared to other laparoscopic procedures.

The study, conducted by Dr. Crystine M. Lee, Dr. Paul T. Cirangle, and Dr. Gregg H. Jossart, of the California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, follows 216 patients who underwent vertical gastrectomy(also known as the sleeve gastrectomy). The mean patient age is 44.7 years, and 173 patients (80%) were female. The mean body preoperative weight and BMI (body mass index) was 302 lbs, and 49, respectively.

EASYBAND is a more advanced and telemetrically operated band that can be adjusted without the need of an access port or the use of needles. It is a mechanical gastric band in which the adjustment is achieved by means of an embedded micromotor controlled by an external control unit using telemetry. This new band is a remarkable development in band technology offering the following adjustment advantages : no port or needles required, no risk of access port infection, much more accurate, painless and with no risk of fluid leakage from the band.

Morbidly obese undergoing the lesser known less invasive laparoscopic gastric banding surgery (LGBS) show improvements six months after surgery.

WASHINGTON -  A new study examining the overall and gender-related effects of laparoscopic gastric banding surgery (LGBS) on insulin resistance, body composition, and metabolic risk markers six months post-surgery has found significant improvements in insulin resistance.

he improvements occurred despite continuing obesity. 

The results are from the study entitled Insulin Resistance, Metabolic Risk Factors and Body Composition Six Months after Laparoscopic Gastric Banding Surgery.  Joan F. Carroll, Department of Integrative Physiology and Susan F. Franks, Departments of Family Medicine and Psychology, University of North Texas Health Science Center; Adam B. Smith, Laparoscopy, Bariatrics, and Surgery, and David R. Phelps, Radiology Associates of Tarrant County, Fort Worth, TX conducted the investigation. 

Diabetes warningThe rising rates of child obesity could be creating a ‘ticking timebomb’ for teenage diabetes, experts warn.29-05-2007
In tests around the world, scientists found alarming levels of diabetic complications among adolescents.

The increasing prevalence of Type 2 diabetes among young people could lead to a ’serious public health challenge’ in years to come, they wrote in The Lancet medical journal.

Read the full story at: - http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html

By Tan Ee Lyn

HONG KONG, May 29 (Reuters) - Babies who are born heavy and grow fast have a 150 percent chance of being overweight or obese by the time they are seven years old, a survey of more than 8,000 children in Hong Kong has shown.

Obesity has long been associated with a person’s lifestyle and dietary habits, but the study shows it might just as well be dependent on “epigenetics” — factors such as genes, and the eating habits and lifestyle of parents and grandparents, said researchers at the University of Hong Kong.

There’s a study in this month’s journal ‘Plastic Surgery Nursing’ from the University of Florida reporting on several indices of patients’ self-image improvements after breast augmentation surgery.

The study included 84 women who were 21 to 57 years old, assessing their perceptions of self-esteem and sexuality before and several months after cosmetic breast augmentation. Responses were recorded with two widely accepted scientific scales to measure self-esteem and sexuality, which assess domains of sexual function, such as sexual arousal, satisfaction, experience and attitudes.

[23-01-2007] By Ilya Marritz

Now some economists say it’s time for the Czech Republic to fully cash in on the price advantage, and specialize in medical tourism. Tomas Sedlacek, is chief economic strategist CSOB bank, and a former advisor to President Havel.

Lately he’s been talking up the idea of medical tourism, and says there’s a great deal of interest - from people in government, from doctors, and from other economists.