Extreme Weight Loss Treatment Kills Woman

[SirWanksalot]

Extreme Weight Loss Treatment Kills Woman
Wed Jul 10, 9:58 AM ET

NICE, France (Reuters) - A French woman using a new weight-loss procedure that constricted her stomach with a silicone band died after the device slipped off and blocked her esophagus, judicial sources said Tuesday.

Police have launched an inquiry into the death of the woman, whose autopsy last Friday indicated she died of severe anemia after food supply to her stomach was cut off, they said.

The 46-year-old mother of two, who had the silicone band put in four years ago, could hardly eat anything just before she died and usually vomited even the small amounts of soup she tried to consume, they added.

French press reports said deaths were extremely rare from the procedure, which is recommended only for the extremely obese. Other methods include shutting off part of the stomach with staples.

The stomach band treatment was developed in France and approved by the Food and Drug Administration ( news - web sites) in the United States last year. Some 10,000 patients have had bands put in over the past six years.

The band squeezes the stomach into two pouches, like a balloon constricted in the middle, and the upper pouch signals to the brain that it is full after small portions of food are consumed. As a result, patients eat less and lose weight.

The treatment has reportedly helped patients lose a third or more of their body weight. Unlike stomach staples or a more radical gastric bypass, the band can be easily readjusted or removed.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=583&ncid=757&e=4&u=/nm/20020710/od_nm/stomach_dc_1

 

[mojokid]

That is EXTREMELY scary, I know they said it is rare for the band to slip off or whatever, but c'mon, what can the other people who've had this band installed be thinking now? I'd be interested to know if it was due to anything she was 'doing' or if there is a chance that anyone who has the band installed is at risk for this, also there should be some sort of fail safe for that, although it does seem like a good idea for the extremely obese.

Hmmm Interesting .. good post.

 

[trial0rzgrl]

thanks for the post...
whats sad to me is that most of the docs who tell their patients to do this have no idea about nutrition themselves. I do believe this is a huge problem which goes beyond food, however i also believe many people could avoid these problems with the proper help and moivation.
I actually do know a person whos doc wants to do this.... and i am shocked because this woman eats all day (cookies, candy.... you name it) if she ate 6000 cals of healthier food she would drop 40 pounds... i understand these people could die but i think its easier to work on diet than to not be able to eat more than 2 tbsp.. its a huge sacrafice either way.... its an "easy way out" which really isnt.... just a thought..