http://www.or-live.com/duluthclinic/2040 Lap Band Surgery- The Duluth Clinic Weight Management Program in Duluth, MN, will broadcast a LAP-BAND® weight loss surgery, live on the Internet on Tuesday, March 4, 2008, at 6:30 p.m. The public will be able to watch as a surgeon uses minimally invasive techniques to fit a special band around the upper portion of the stomach, which helps patients to feel fuller, eat less, and lose weight. Duluth Clinic weight loss surgeon, Walter Medlin, MD, will perform the live procedure. Members of the Duluth Clinic Weight Management Program will help explain the surgery and answer questions as they are e-mailed by viewers. A patient who had LAP-BAND® surgery almost a year ago will also share his experiences and respond to questions during the surgical webcast. Computer users must have high-speed Internet service and have Windows Media Player, for PC or Mac, on their computers. Dr. Medlin says LAP-BAND® surgery can have a profound effect on a patient's overall health, if he or she is an appropriate candidate for the procedure. "Thousands of lives are being saved every year with weight loss surgery," he says. Patients typically lose one to two pounds a week with the LAP-BAND®. Over time, some people are able to reduce their need for medications for chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure. They often experience greater mobility and less joint pain. "Many of my patients say they feel 10 to 15 years younger, and they have more energy," Dr. Medlin says. To be a candidate for LAP-BAND® surgery, patients must have a body mass index (BMI) of at least 40, or a BMI of at least 35 if they have additional obesity-related health problems. During the procedure, Dr. Medlin uses small incisions to insert a camera and his instruments as the surgery begins. He watches the progress on color monitors, as he places the band around the upper portion of the patient's stomach and forms a new, smaller pouch. The band is filled...