Palms of Pasadena Hospital First Bariatric Program on the West Coast of Florida to Add Realize Personalized Band Solution to their Comprehensive Program
April 2008

Palms of Pasadena Hospital in St. Petersburg, FL is the first program on the West Coast of Florida to perform bariatric surgery utilizing the Realize™ Adjustable Gastric Band, 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.

Unique to the Realize™ band, an interactive tool provides support to help patients successfully achieve long-term weight loss. Through the REALIZE mySUCCESS™ program, patients and physicians at Palms of Pasadena Hospital can set goals and continuously watch the patient’s progress together, especially for the first three years, as the patient adjusts to his/her new lifestyle so healthcare providers can step in precisely when needed to keep patients on track.

In the clinical trial that led to its FDA approval, REALIZE Band patients lost an average of 50 pounds or 40 percent of their excess body weight within the first year of surgery and maintained that weight loss over three years. More than one-third of patients lost 50 percent or more and about 10 percent lost 75 percent or more of their excess weight.

“Gastric band patients are able to lose a significant amount of weight and improve their overall health status in a relatively short period of time, considering many have been morbidly obese for years prior to surgery,” said Dr. Ernest Rehnke, Medical Director of Palms of Pasadena Hospital’s Bariatric Program, selected as a Center of Excellence by the American Society for Bariatric Surgery. “And while the surgery is among the most effective treatments for morbid obesity, it is just one stop along the patient’s journey. Patients must make changes to their diet and lifestyle after surgery to help achieve long-term success.”
With the REALIZE mySUCCESS™ program patients establish a tailored progress plan, to develop new health habits in the areas of physical activity, nutrition, and emotional well- being.

“REALIZE mySUCCESS works closely with our bariatric team,” said Susan Kay R.N., program coordinator and bariatric patient. “The information provided is comprehensive specific to the needs of a gastric band patient. Our patients are really benefiting from having this added support that is available online day and night.”

About the Realize™ Band
The REALIZE Adjustable Gastric Band is a device intended for use in weight reduction for patients with morbid obesity and is indicated for individuals with a body mass index (BMI) of at least 40 kg/m2, or a BMI of at least 35 kg/m2 with one or more co-morbid conditions. It is for use in morbidly obese adult patients who have failed more conservative weight-reduction alternatives, such as supervised diet, exercise and behavior modification programs.

Realize™ Band patients in the U.S. clinical study experienced a 22% increase in good cholesterol (HDL) and a decrease in bad cholesterol (LDL), total cholesterol and triglycerides 36 months after surgery. In addition, patients experienced a statistically significant reduction in the key indicator for type 2 diabetes (HbA1c).

The REALIZE Band, which is marketed under the name Swedish Adjustable Gastric Band (SAGB) outside the U.S., has been commercially available outside the U.S. since 1996 and has been used by more than 100,000 patients worldwide to help manage their weight.

To read more about the Program at Palms of Pasadena Hospital, visit www.ObesityNoMoreFL.com or call 1-866-931-THIN.