The Globesity Challenge to General Surgery

The increasing prevalence of morbid obesity has led the World Health Organization to coin the descriptive term “globesity” to reflect the worldwide nature of the problem. Providing health care to these patients, especially when surgery is required, can be extremely challenging owing to the specific needs in respect of logistics, facilities, and professional expertise. Appropriate care has to date often been unachievable and unaffordable outside of established bariatric centers, but such centers themselves usually have insufficient capacity and resources to cope with the demand among the general population. This book therefore provides a wealth of guidance and helpful tips and tricks on how to deal with obese patients within a general surgery setting. Importantly, it highlights the need for global rethinking on public health as regards resource allocation and patterns and standards of care, with the ultimate goal of improving outcomes through greater affordability.

From the book reviews:

“This is a prime mover in a field where the unique experience of multidisciplinary specialists in bariatric surgery is distilled for application in general surgery (and medicine in general) at a time when the problem of obesity is assuming global proportions. … The audience includes general surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, dietitians, psychologists, and hospital administrators.” (Isaac Samuel, Doody’s Book Reviews, October, 2014)

After graduating in medicine and a fellowship at Debrecen University Hospital, Dr. Mirto Foletto specialized in General Surgery at Padua University, working as resident in General Surgery. He obtained the ATLS certification by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma in 1999, updated in 2008. He is a F.I.M. certified CMO (Chief Medical Officer). His training in laparoscopic surgery in Chimay (Belgium), under  Dr. T. Mignon and his work as surgeon in the community hospitals in the Vicenza district, Italy, lead him to his present high specialization in minimally invasive, laparoscopic and video assisted thoracoscopy (VAT) and bariatric surgery. He has been visiting surgeon at Anderson Cancer Center, Houston USA, Dept of Surgical Oncology, Head Dr. R. Pollock and at Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles USA, Dept of minimally invasive and bariatric surgery, Head Dr. E. Phillips. In 2004 nominated Chief Surgeon (Free Surgical Camp) at Dept of Surgery of Pinnamaneni-Siddhartha Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Foundation, Vijaywada (Andhra-Pradesh) India, in the Padova Ospitale humanitarian mission framework. This experience was repeated both in India and in Sierra Leone. Author and co-author more than 60 articles published on International Journals, he is also member of the ESSO (European Society of Surgical Oncology), the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and of IFSO.

Dr. Raul J. Rosenthal completed his medical school and surgical residency in Rosario Argentina. In 1982 he emigrated to Germany he repeated residency and became attending surgeon at the Northwest Hospital.I n 1993 Dr. Rosenthal emigrated to the USA. Three years of fellowship at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in LA were followed by another residency at Mount Sinai Medical Center in NY. Since 1999 he is Chief of MIS and Bariatric Surgery and director of Fellowship in Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery at Cleveland Clinic Florida. He is currently the Chairman of the Department of General Surgery and director of the General surgery Residency Program. Dr. Rosenthal served on the Clinical Issues, Emerging Technologies, Institutional Relationships, and Education Committees of ASMBS. He is the former and founding chair of the International Development Committee, he currently serves as Secretary for the Florida Chapter, Liason to the Council for the State Chapters, Co Chair of the MBSQIP, and is an active member of the International, Surgical Education and Training, and Patient Safety Committees. He serves as ASMBS representative to IFSO and represented ASMBS on the Certified Obesity Medical Physician Taskforce by developing all bariatric surgery questions for the certifying examination. He is founding Clinical Editor of Bariatric Times, Associate Editor of SOARD and Editorial Board member of Selected Readings in General Surgery, Surgical Endoscopy, and Obesity Surgery. As of 2011 Dr. Rosenthal was appointed as secretary to the Board of the ASMBS Foundation and is a member at large on the Executive Council of ASMBS. Areas of Research and Publication: He is author or co-author in over 300 abstracts and peer reviewed publications, more than 50 book chapters and over 100 educational videos. He is the Co Editor of the ASMMBS Bariatric Surgery Book (in print), Globesity (in print), Netter’s Gastroenterology, Operative Strategies in Laparoscopic Surgery, and Weight Loss Surgery.