ReachMD

There is mounting evidence that surgery can be a key weapon against diabetes, improving glycemic control or sending the disease into remission entirely. As the scourge of diabetes continues across our country and abroad, safety and efficacy of surgery are two legitimate concerns. How does gastric banding surgery stack up against more traditional therapies for diabetes? What is the key mechanism behind gastric banding: does it reduce the patient's appetite or make the patient ill if they eat too much? Dr. John Dixon, associate professor of medicine and head of obesity research at Monash University Medical School in Melbourne, Australia, details his research team's work to assess the viability of gastric banding surgery. Dr. Mark Nolan Hill hosts.