Expert: Karla K. - 7/17/2010

Question
hi Karla

can you tell me if you can get copies of:

Ann Surg. 2010 Jul 8. [Epub ahead of print]
Long-term Results of Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy for Obesity.
Himpens J, Dobbeleir J, Peeters G.

Surg Laparosc Endosc Percutan Tech. 2010 Jun;20(3):162-5. Laparoscopic conversion of adjustable gastric banding to sleeve gastrectomy: a feasibility study.

Himpens J, De Schepper M, Dapri G.

Five Year Weight loss outcome.
Rudolf Weiner, MD
Review of Sleeve Gastrectomy: 3000 cases with up to 5 year follow up.
Phillip Schauer, MD
The Second International Consensus Summit on Sleeve Gastrectomy
http://www.obesityeducation.com/icssg/agenda.htm

Sleeve Gastrectomy: 2,000 Cases - 5-Year Follow-up.
Stacy Brethauer, MD
The Ninth Annual Minimally Invasive Surgery Symposium
http://www.miss-cme.org/pages.asp?id=24

I am unable to get these, it would help for insurance approval, any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you in advance for your time.

Answer
Hi Mila:

Sorry, I only have access to the abstracts on PubMed.  I do not subscribe to the journals--so thus cannot get full copies.  Often times, abstracts are enough for an insurance appeal, though--and your surgeon should be able to help you.

Good luck with your appeal.  I do expect to see the Sleeve added to more and more insurance plans as the results are as good or better than the Lap-Band, which is commonly approved.  Of course, if your insurance has a bariatric surgery exclusion, then you're chance of approval is pretty much nil.  Also, if you have a BMI over 50, you can try for approval for a two-part DS.

Sorry I can't be of more help,

Karla