Ethicon Endo-Surgery Holds Metabolic Surgery Scientific Forum Featuring Research By Top ...(hich patients are likely to respond to d...),Health

Dr. Seeley discussed his research on the biology of obesity and the role of the central nervous system in regulating food intake, body weight and fat tissue. He said new treatments for Type 2 diabetes and obesity may be able to alter the function of fat tissue or change the signaling that takes place between fat tissue and the brain to better regulate satiety and the storage of calories. Dr. Seeley is the recipient of the 2009 American Diabetes Association Outstanding Scientific Achievement Award.

Dr. Kaplan presented on "The Remarkable Physiology of Metabolic Surgery." He discussed potential mechanisms by which metabolic surgery affects Type 2 diabetes. He cited three primary ways: 1. weight loss, 2. decreased nutrient intake or 3. changes in GI physiology or signaling independent of weight loss and decreased nutrient intake, but that this last mechanism appears to be limited to gastric bypass. He said gastric bypass has the ability to reset the body's energy "set point" at a lower body mass index (BMI) and that the central nervous system plays a large role in the metabolic effects and weight loss from the surgery.

Dr. Rubino discussed metabolic surgery as a primary treatment for Type 2 diabetes and presented data on diabetes remission after metabolic surgery even before weight loss occurs. He asserted that remission results from more than gastric restriction and weight loss and that the surgically rearranged intestine and other factors related to the proximal bowel may contribute to the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes. He raised the question if BMI alone in Type 2 diabetes patients should not be a determinant for who has access to metabolic surgery, as BMI may not enable consideration of other critical patient specific health factors (e.g., un
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