Inside Tract - InsideTract Fall 2009

InsideTract Fall 2009

In the ample new suite in Hopkins’ Sheikh Zayed Tower, Zhiping Li confirms mini-peritoneoscopy’s advantages. Already useful for biopsies throughout the peritoneum, the nimble technique should prove especially useful for the ultra-minimally invasive NOTES approach to surgery that Li’s colleagues are nurturing.

photo by Keith Weller

Articles in this Issue

Obesity Medicine

Getting a Handle on Obesity

At the Johns Hopkins Digestive Weight Loss Center, obesity medicine specialists help patients and physicians deal with a serious medical issue. "Obesity is a medical condition as devastating and debilitating as cancer or heart disease," says Mary Margaret Huizinga, director of the center.

Bariatric Surgery

What Physicians Need to Know About Bariatric Surgery

Bariatric surgeons Thomas Magnuson and Michael Schweitzer discuss the evolution of bariatric surgery, address common myths about it and describe the patient eligibility requirements.

Obesity Research

Sustained Weight Loss and Disease Prevention

As research shows more and more links between obesity and disease, the clinicians behind the studies hope to bring their findings to the patient bedside.

Fatty Liver Disease

Fatty Liver Disease Rising in Young People

One of the single greatest risk factors for fatty liver disease is obesity. The condition is the most common cause of chronic liver disease and can progress to cirrhosis and liver failure.

Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

Endoscopy's Growing Arsenal Against Obesity

Endoscopic options for obesity-related procedures continue to increase. "If we can achieve some weight loss via an endoscopic procedure, then our patient is a better candidate for bariatric surgery," says Patrick Okolo, chief of gastrointestinal endoscopy at Hopkins.