For Medical Professionals

Overview

Are you a medical professional who knows a patient that would benefit from bariatric surgery? Refer them to us by calling 216.445.2224.

We have made available much of the medical literature that our doctors have published on bariatric surgery below:

STAMPEDE

Our most recent and widely celebrated STAMPEDE (Surgical Therapy and Medications Potentially Eradicate Diabetes Efficiently) study has been widely praised for it's investigation into the efficacy of surgical and medical intervention in diabetes treatment. Read more about it below or proceed with reading other resources published by our doctors.

The STAMPEDE study

Cleveland Clinic physicians started a one-year clinical trial (with a four-year follow-up) to discover the effects on diabetic patients of advanced medical therapy versus medical therapy plus one of two types of bariatric surgery on glycemic control in obese patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes. 

On March 31, 2014, the three years study results were simultaneously presented at the American College of Cardiology's annual conference in Washington, D.C., and appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine. The study shows bariatric surgery is a highly effective and durable treatment for type 2 diabetes in obese patients, enabling nearly all surgical patients to be free of insulin and many to be free of all diabetic medications three years after surgery. The bariatric surgery patients experienced an improvement in quality of life and a reduction in the need for cardiovascular medications to control blood pressure and cholesterol compared to those receiving medical therapy.

This is the first randomized controlled clinical trial that compares surgery with intensive medical therapy head-to-head for this patient population.

The clinical trial involved 150 men and women with a clinical diagnosis of type 2 diabetes between the ages of 20 and 60 years old with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 27-43.

This is one of the first times doctors have studied a weight loss surgery for diabetes in patients that aren’t severely obese. (Typically, bariatric surgery is performed on patients with a BMI over 35.)

The patients were randomized 1:1:1 and given one of the following treatments:

• 50 patients treated with Advanced Medical Therapy (AMT – diet, exercise, and medication therapy).
• 50 patients treated with Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy and AMT.
• 50 patients treated with Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass and AMT.

STAMPEDE patients’ follow-up visits were scheduled for every three months for the first two years and every six months thereafter. All of the patients have completed at least one full year of post-treatment observation, and will continue to be observed for a total of 60 months.

Advisory service

Cleveland Clinic’s Advisory Services is prepared to help you take your program to the next level. We offer a range of protocols, insights and assistance to increase the value of your bariatric surgery program.

• Learn more about our Bariatric Advisory Services

DrConnect at Cleveland Clinic

Provides referring physicians secure online access to real-time information about their patients' treatment progress while at Cleveland Clinic.

• Learn more

Cleveland Clinic Florida Bariatric & Metabolic Institute

Cleveland Clinic Florida's Bariatric & Metabolic Institute and Section of Minimally Invasive Surgery work with patients who are in need of weight loss through bariatric surgery.

In addition, Cleveland Clinic Florida’s multidisciplinary team approach provides convenient access to nearly 180 Cleveland Clinic physicians with expertise in 35 specialties, resulting in better patient care.

• Learn more about the program

Fellowships

This program is a combined clinical and research fellowship, with heavy emphasis on the science and surgical management of morbid obesity. This program is designed to produce academic leaders in the fields of laparoscopic and bariatric surgery. The program is characterized by a high volume of laparoscopic bariatric cases, including gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, and laparoscopic band placement. This is in addition to ample laparoscopic foregut, colon, abdominal wall, and solid organ cases. There is an active interest in the modern management of GERD, including novel diagnostic modalities and endoscopic and laparoscopic treatment of this disease. Graduating fellows have typically completed over 200 cases. Fellows also perform over 100 endoscopic cases including feeding access, anastomotic dilations and colonoscopy.

Research is an integral component of the program. Fellows are strongly encouraged to conduct clinical studies and present results at national meetings. Each clinical fellow is expected to submit at least one manuscript as first author for publication. Fellows in the 2-year track enjoy close collaboration with colleagues in the basic sciences and molecular biology departments. There is a well-equipped and staffed facility for animal experiments.

Teaching skills for bariatric surgeons can be refined through numerous academic workshops and courses that are sponsored by the department. Fellows participate in preparation and delivery of lectures, and in hands-on instruction of attendees. These meetings afford opportunities to cultivate long-term professional and collegial relationships with world experts in their respective fields.

This fellowship participates in the NRMP. Please apply through the fellowshipcouncil.org website for consideration. Deadlines and application information are included on the web site.