Surgeons of BMI of Texas selected to host a preceptorship for using REALIZE Adjustable Gastric Band

The Bariatric Medical Institute of Texas (“BMI of Texas”) today announced surgeons Mickey Seger and Terive Duperier have been selected by Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. as one of the five training sites in the U.S. to host a preceptorship for the Ethicon Endo-Surgery REALIZE™ Adjustable Gastric Band.

The REALIZE™ Adjustable Gastric Band, which was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2007, is a device that is surgically implanted around the stomach to help people with morbid obesity lose weight and improve or resolve obesity-related health conditions including type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, and high cholesterol. Dr. Seger and Dr. Duperier were among the first bariatric surgeons in the U.S. to utilize the REALIZE band and Dr. Seger has served as a national proctor in teaching other bariatric surgeons how to use the REALIZE band since 2007.

As a result of their experience with the REALIZE™ Band, Dr. Seger and Dr. Duperier were selected by Ethicon Endo-Surgery to host a preceptorship where they will teach other bariatric surgeons how to optimally perform REALIZE™ Band adjustments. BMI of Texas is one of the only practices in the nation that performs fluoroscopic assisted band adjustments in its office.

BMI of Texas, located in San Antonio's Medical Center area, helps patients achieve their weight loss goals through various surgical procedures including gastric bypass, adjustable gastric band and sleeve gastrectomy. Additionally, the surgeons perform a full spectrum of advanced laparoscopic procedures, including laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication (anti-reflux surgery), laparoscopic colon surgery, laparoscopic pancreatic surgery, and laparoscopic hernia surgeries.

The surgeons plan to host the first REALIZE™ adjustment preceptorship in September 2009. “We were among the first surgeons in the U.S. to begin using the REALIZE band with our patients and we are very pleased with their weight loss results. We are thrilled to be asked to teach other surgeons the best practices we’ve learned so that they can assist their patients across the U.S. with the best possible weight loss success,” said Dr. Mickey Seger.

www.bmioftexas.com