Written by: Clarissa Aznar

THURSDAY, September 15th, 2011 —- The Surgical Weight Loss Centre (SWLC) is pleased to announce the latest added service dedicated to providing excellence in care for patients. Effective September 1^st SWLC can now assist our patients arrange financing with payments as low as $85 per week with $0 down payment.  As part of SWLC’s ongoing commitment in providing the highest quality of care to patients, not only will this new service provide assistance to those financing their weight loss procedures, but is also convenient.

Since 2005, SWLC has helped over 3,000 patients throughout Canada in achieving sustained weight loss to improve their overall health and quality of life. SWLC is Canada’s distinguished provider of the Lap-Band and Gastric Balloon programs. Its qualified surgeons are internationally known as experts and are active in research and submitting publications regarding the Lap-Band, its efficacy and safety.

For more information on how SWLC can assist with financing, please contact a patient coordinator at (905) 278-8000 or toll-free 1 (888)278-7952 or at info@swlc.ca.

Written by: Clarissa Aznar

Dr. Chris Cobourn, Medical Director and Surgeon of Surgical Weight Loss Centre, has been invited to speak at the two most prestigious international obesity conferences for healthcare professionals.

The 2^nd Annual Obesity Summit on April 28^th – May 1^st 2011 is set to take place in Montreal this year at Le Centre Sheraton Hotel. On Friday, April 29^th, Dr. Cobourn is scheduled to address over 400 delegates from all over Canada and speak on “Lessons Learned from a Large Lap-Band Practice in Canada”. The highly anticipated presentation will be the only Lap-Band lecture at the Summit.

In addition to his list of speaking engagements, it has recently been announced that Dr. Cobourn will be speaking at the XVI World Congress of the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders at the Congress Centre in Hamburg, Germany on September 3^rd, 2011. The congregation of leading experts in the medical field includes lectures, posters & video presentations and various bariatric exhibitors.

As an internationally respected and sought after speaker, Dr. Cobourn is honored to receive the opportunity to speak to the medical community on various topics regarding obesity and weight loss programs offered at SWLC.  In part of his mission to educate healthcare professionals and the public on the Lap-Band program, in April 2010, alongside Dr. David Mumford, SWLC published its first research study on the safety and efficacy of the Lap-Band as an outpatient procedure in Obesity Surgery.

Obese Patients Belly Up to Lap-Band Surgery

Written By: Celia Milne

TUESDAY, January 18th, 2011 (Metro Canada) — You could call it the belly bandwagon.  Belly band surgery is increasingly popular among obese patients.

Dr. Chris Cobourn, a general surgeon at The Surgical Weight Loss Centre in Mississauga, performs Lap-Band surgery, and watches as patients as heavy as 575 lbs lose weight and get healthy.

“They love their band. No one wants to be obese. They are incredibly frustrated and depressed and a lot of patients have low self-esteem. This gives them a simple, elegant solution and they are the happiest patients in the world,” says Dr. Cobourn.

“It’s very safe,” he adds, “We’ve done over 3,000 here with no major complications or deaths.”

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Written By: Clarissa Aznar

Mississauga, ON — As part of his objective to further educate the general public on surgical weight loss options, including the Lap-Band and Gastric Balloon programs, Dr. Chris Cobourn will be a featured guest on CP24’s “On Call with Dr. Karl” on November 22, 2010 at 7pm. The well known TV show that provides callers the chance to speak live with top medical experts is hosted by Dr. Karl Kabasele every Monday at 7pm.

Currently serving as a member on expert committees to establish worldwide standards and practices for bariatric surgery, Dr. Cobourn is a sought-after speaker for local and international conferences. In December 2010, he is scheduled to speak in London and Amsterdam on the subject of Lap-Band surgery in an outpatient clinic. As the first surgeon to introduce laparoscopic surgery to the Mississauga area, Dr. Cobourn continues to be a respected leader in bariatric surgery in Canada.

To view the interview, please visit http://www.cp24.com/servlet/HTMLTemplate?tf=ctvlocal/hub/hub.html&cf=ctvlocal/cp24.cfg&hub=CP24Oncall

Written By: Clarissa Aznar

Mississauga, ON - To better serve its current patients and accommodate the growing demand for consultations in the Toronto area, the Surgical Weight Loss Centre (SWLC) will be expanding its Lap-Band adjustments and Consultation services serving the Toronto population starting August 2010 at the Royal Health Care Centre at 130 Adelaide St. W (Lower Concourse) on the PATH in the Richmond Adelaide Centre. This will make it more convenient for patients who live or work in downtown Toronto to access Lap-Band adjustments. The Toronto office will also enhance access for individuals who are interested in our Lap-Band or Gastric Balloon programs to speak directly with an SWLC surgeon.

To schedule an appointment in advance or to receive more information, please contact a patient coordinator at (905) 278 – 8000 or 1 (888) 278 – 7952 or email at info@swlc.ca.

Hello Everyone,

The following clinical research investigates the safety of Gastric Banding (Lap-Band) as an outpatient procedure for morbid obesity in Canada. The four year study led by myself and Dr. David Mumford of the Surgical Weight Loss Centre in association with Mary Ann Chapman and Leandra Wells, followed 1, 641 patients who undergone the Lap-Band procedure from February 2005 to July 2009 with an average BMI of 46.7.

Fifteen out of the 1, 641 patients experienced minor complications during surgery or within 30 days of surgery while four patients required transfer to hospital from the clinic on the day of surgery and three were admitted. None of the complications were serious and all were resolved.

Not only does the study reveal numbers that show the safety of performing the Lap-Band procedure in an outpatient setting for the treatment of morbid obesity but also adds to the developing number of published literature regarding this subject.

Happy reading!

Dr. Cobourn

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Dr. Cobourn Discusses the Lap-Band As a Treatment for Type II Diabetes on 570 News

Link to Radio Interview| http://www.570news.com/listen/gary-doyle/media.jsp?content=20091126_133106_7152

Written By: Clarissa Aznar

WEDNESDAY, Nov 25th 2009 – Follow Dr. Christopher Cobourn of the Surgical Weight Loss Centre today as he is interviewed by Gary Doyle from 570 News at 1:30pm on the topic of why patients worldwide have turned to the Lap-Band program as a solution in improving or resolving their Type II Diabetes. More than 2 million people have Type II Diabetes which is expected to reach 3 million by 2010 in Canada. Studies show that in 73% of patients who had the Lap-Band procedure had remission of their Type II Diabetes while patients who used conventional diabetes medications only had 13%. For more news articles on the Lap-Band and Diabetes, please visit http://www.obesitysurgery.ca/news-events/news-events.php?cid=15.

SWLC Successfully Performs Its First Lap-Band On An Adoloscent

Written By: Clarissa Aznar

MISSISSAUGA, On – The Surgical Weight Loss Centre (SWLC) has been dedicated to offering safe and effective treatments for obesity since it first opened its doors in 2005. On November 13th 2009, the successful weight loss clinic in Canada reached a milestone when Dr. Christopher Cobourn, medical director and surgeon of SWLC, performed a Lap-Band procedure on a 16 year old patient from Burlington, Ontario for the treatment of morbid obesity. The unidentified patient and her parents decided to proceed with the Lap-Band procedure after several attempts with various commercial weight loss programs and the inability to sustain weight loss and improve her health. There have been many reports in the scientific literature showing that Lap Band surgery is a safe and effective therapy for sustained weight loss in adolescents. SWLC has chosen to establish a program to offer this procedure to adolescents in Canada. The Lap-Band is a minimally invasive procedure and has been performed in over 500,000 patients worldwide.

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Dr. Chris Cobourn Discusses the Benefits of the Lap-Band on CityTV News

Written By: Clarissa Aznar

FRIDAY, November 20, 2009– The medical director, Dr. Chris Cobourn, of the Surgical Weight Loss Centre in Mississauga provided insights to the general public on Friday, November 20th on the subject of the Lap-Band and its benefits with Laura DiBattista of CityTV News.

The comprehensive Lap-Band program at SWLC has long provided hope to those who have struggled with obesity since the clinic opened in 2005. With over 2,300 procedures performed, the Surgical Weight Loss Centre has performed the highest volume of Lap-Band and Gastric Balloon procedures in Canada. Studies have shown 18% of individuals who have undergone the Lap-Band procedure had improved their diabetes and a staggering 82% had their diabetes resolved.

To view the exclusive interview with Dr. Cobourn from CityTV News, please visit the following link http://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/life/health/article/63664–health-canada-approves-new-diabetes-treatment.