NEWSWORTHY NOTES
September 25, 2008 – Buenos Aires, Argentina
XIII World Congress on Obesity Surgery of the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and metabolic disorders (IFSO)
 Tonight marked the 15th Anniversary of the first human Lap-Band System® placement in history. Vernon Vincent, previously of Inamed, Bioenterics, and now Allergan, celebrated this momentous occasion with his Allergan colleagues and clients on the waters of the Rio de la Plata off the coast of Buenos Aires, Argentina. On board were surgeons from all over the world, in town for the 13th World Congress on Obesity Surgery hosted by the IFSO.
Vernon Vincent, now Senior Director of Global Professional Education for Allergan Health, gave a tearful presentation of the early days of his accomplishments with Dr. Mitiku Belachew in designing a laparoscopic version of the silicone band that was in existence a little over 15 years ago. The challenge was to overcome technical difficulties of laparoscopy to enable a more minimally invasive procedure with less surgical risks, than the Gastric Bypass and other open procedures, for the morbidly obese.1 Vernon tirelessly worked to cross-fertilize the field by transporting new ideas between surgeons in the US and the rest of the developed world. As a result of these tireless efforts, many Fortune 500 companies manufacture Bariatric surgical instruments, demonstrating the wide acceptance of surgical therapy for morbid obesity around the world.2
During his presentation, Vernon with extreme gratitude and emotion, gave recognition to Dr. Pedro Kuri, as a Latin American pioneer of Lap-Band Surgery. Dr. Kuri, was one of only a few who, saw the true potential of the Band, bringing improved health to patients enabling them to have happier, more active and fulfilling lives. Dr. Kuri believed it could really help people and since that day he has helped many, not only thousands of his own patients, close to 4000 to date, but also the many surgeons he has helped teach that perform Lap-Band Surgery today.
Vernon, on behalf of all of Allergan, thanked Dr. Kuri and a few other select surgeons, including Dr. Armando Castillo and Dr. Rafael Alvarez-Cordero, President of the IFSO, for their courage, their dedication, and their loyalty to providing their patients a life they wouldn’t otherwise have today without the help of the Lap-Band.
Happy 15th Birthday to the tool that has given so many their health, their spirit and their lives back.
References:
1 M Belachew, M J Legrand and V Vincent – Service de Chirurge Universitaire, Huy, Belgium. Published online: 01 June 2001
2 Obesity Surgery by Louis F. Martin, 2004 – Acknowledgments, pg. xvii
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