St. Francis News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
8/30/2017 12:00:00 AM CENTRAL
Updated: 8/30/2017 12:40:54 PM CENTRAL
For more information, contact Michael Morris.
St. Francis Is First in the Metro Area to Offer New Non-surgical Weight Loss Procedure

New dual balloon technology proven to provide more than twice the weight loss of diet and exercise alone

Shakopee, Minn. (August 30, 2017) — St. Francis Regional Medical Center is the first in metro area to offer a new FDA- approved, first-of-its-kind non-surgical weight loss procedure for people with mild to moderate obesity. This procedure provides a new option for adults with a BMI of 30-40 and a related health condition who haven't succeeded at diet and exercise alone and do not want or do not qualify medically for bariatric surgery.

"For years, a significant gap has existed in treatment options for obesity with limited, effective therapies available," said Jayson Dock, MD, general surgeon with Allina Health Clinic in Shakopee. "We often see patients who are clinically obese and in desperate need of medical intervention to help them lose weight, when diet and exercise alone have failed and surgery is not an option. This new procedure provides this group of 'in-between' patients with access to a non-surgical, reversible option to encourage new habits and lasting results."

A dual balloon is inserted in the stomach during a short outpatient procedure, where it remains for six months, serving as built-in portion control so people may feel full and less hungry. It does not change or alter the natural anatomy of the stomach in any way. During this time and for the six months after removal, patients receive frequent in-office diet and exercise coaching sessions and access to an online patient portal for support resource that provides tools and information to help patients track weight loss, diet, and exercise, and an on-line community where they can interact with each other.

More than 78 million adults in the U.S. are obese. In June 2013, the American Medical Association officially classified obesity as a disease. Clinically defined as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of more than 30, obesity can lead to numerous, serious health complications including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.

In an FDA clinical study of 326 patients conducted at eight sites in the U.S., patients with ReShape experienced 2.3 times more excess weight loss at six months compared to those who had the diet and exercise program alone. In the clinical trial, patients lost up to 72 pounds in 12 months.

For more information contact our weight loss referral specialist at 952.428.0940 or visit stfrancis-shakopee.com/wls.

About St. Francis Regional Medical Center

St. Francis Regional Medical Center is owned by Allina Health, HealthPartners Park Nicollet, and Essentia Health. This unique structure combines the caring and compassion of an award winning community hospital with the advanced medical technology, specialties, and expertise of industry-leading health systems. St. Francis provides a full range of inpatient, outpatient, and emergency care services on a collaborative medical campus with more than 30 affiliated clinics and 450 providers in the community.