It Takes Skill: Dallas Weight Loss Surgeon Discusses the Impact of a Recent NEJM Study

DALLAS, TX--(Marketwired - Jun 26, 2014) - According to a study by the New England Journal of Medicine, a bariatric surgeon's technical skill and the experience they have performing certain procedures may ultimately make a huge difference in terms of complication rates and other factors. "The study showed that the most skilled surgeons performed more bariatric operations than the less skilled surgeons," says Dr. Bridget Holden with Kim Bariatric Institute, a Dallas weight loss surgery practice led by bariatric surgeon David D. Kim, MD.

As reported in the Los Angeles Times and discussed in the recent blog entry, "Recent Study Confirms: Skill and Experience Matters Greatly when Choosing a Weight Loss Surgeon" on Kim Bariatric Institute's website, the study found that surgeons with skill levels in the bottom quarter of doctors reviewed had patients who suffered from more than four times the number of surgical site complications and four times the number of pulmonary complications after surgery, including blood clots that make their way to the lungs. With less skilled bariatric surgeons, the research found that patients were also twice as likely to need revision bariatric surgery to correct problems stemming from the initial treatment.

The report in the LA Times said the study involved 20 surgeons performing laparoscopic gastric bypass in Michigan. Each surgeon submitted videos of the operation, and those were evaluated by a panel of 33 surgeons using a checklist often utilized to rate the skills of surgical trainees. Ultimately, the study found the most highly skilled surgeons were not the ones who had long careers in practice. Rather, it found higher skill levels among those who had consistently performed more laparoscopic gastric bypass procedures or other bariatric treatments than those who had performed significantly lower amounts of those operations in a given year.

Dr. Holden says this affirms the need for individuals considering bariatric surgery to thoroughly research their options, review the surgeon's website and/or credentials, and make sure they ask the right questions. "When selecting a bariatric surgeon, patients should find out: whether the surgeon is board-certified; the average number of cases he or she performs; and the average rate of complications experienced in the surgeon's previous cases."

About Bridget Holden, MD
Dr. Holden is a Diplomate of the American Board of Surgery and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. She has performed more than 1000 surgeries and has spent thousands of hours in the operating room learning advanced techniques under the supervision of Dr. David D. Kim. Dr. Holden completed her general surgery residency at Baylor University Medical Center Dallas and practiced as a general surgeon for six years before joining Kim Bariatric Institute. Dr. Holden is available for interview upon request.

About David D. Kim, MD
Dr. Kim is the head of Kim Bariatric Institute and is known as a pioneer of the laparoscopic gastric sleeve bariatric surgery technique. He regularly performs thousands of weight loss surgeries each year, and is one of the few bariatric surgeons in the US who offers all four major types of weight loss surgery. Dr. Kim completed his general surgery residency at Case Western Reserve University. He is certified by the American Board of Surgery, and is a Fellow of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Dr. Kim has been recognized as a "Surgeon of Excellence" by The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (formerly the American Society for Bariatric Surgery), and was named a "Top Doctor" in the U.S. by Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. He is available for interview upon request.

For more information about Kim Bariatric Institute, visit drdkim.net and facebook.com/kimbariatrics.

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