With better weight loss than LAGB and lower complication rates than RYGB, SG is a reasonable choice for the treatment of morbid obesity and should be covered by both public and private payers.

We have developed and validated a population-based risk scoring system for serious complications after bariatric surgery. We expect that this scoring system will improve the process of informed consent, facilitate the selection of procedures for high-risk patients, and allow for better risk stratification across studies of bariatric surgery.

Cytokine measurements in peripheral blood in trauma patients and normal controls are significantly (10- to 500-fold) higher when using a total cytokine assay that measures both free and bound cytokine. Competitive immunoassays may be the method of choice when measuring endogenous cytokine levels in biologic fluids, and new normal ranges for cytokines must be established for future accurate research in critical care and trauma.

The higher cost, higher leak rate, higher rate of small bowel obstruction, and similar long-term weight loss results make the "open" RYGBP our preferred operation. If the incision is taken out of the equation (i.e. use of the LSI), the significant advantages of the open technique become even more obvious.

No abstract