Michigan Institue for Laparoscopic Surgery
Advertisement
Going Small:
Minimally invasive Surgery
Solves Big Problems
Smaller scars and quicker recoveries are a few of the many benefits of laparoscopy.
t the Michigan Institute for
Laparoscopic Surgery in West
Bloomfield, when you meet Dr.
Scott Laker, you will be struck by his
passion for educating patients about the
benefits of minimally invasive surger-
ies and ensuring that they get the best
outcomes.
"A good outcome always starts with
patient education," adds Dr Laker. "A
patient who understands the nature of
their condition and the approach to cor-
rect it will do better than a patient who
doesn't understand their situation.
"At this time almost every abdominal
procedure can now be performed safely
and effectively using a minimally invasive
approach. In some cases, the laparo-
scopic approach has shown improved
outcomes when compared to the tradi-
tional open approach," added Dr. Laker,
who grew up in West Bloomfield. He
specializes in treating bariatric (weight
loss), reflux and hernia patients.
Dr. Laker is board-certified by the Ameri-
can Board of Surgeons and is a Fellow of
the American College of Surgeons. He
graduated from the Boston University
School of Medicine and then trained in
general surgery at New York University.
He completed an additional fellowship
in robotics, advanced laparoscopy and
minimally invasive bariatric surgery at
Hackensack University Medical Center in
New Jersey.
He moved back to Detroit from the
East Coast in 2005, working as an assis-
tant professor of surgery at Wayne State
University's Medical School and on the
surgical staff at Harper Hospital. Later,
he worked as a general and bariatric
surgeon at Henry Ford West Bloomfield,
before opening the Michigan Institute
for Laparoscopic Surgery last November.
He practices surgery out of Huron Valley
and Henry Ford West Bloomfield hospi-
tals. He lives in Birmingham with his wife
and two young children.
"Minimally invasive surgery is becom-
ing more and more common," Dr. Laker
says, "and it has become the preferred
method for a number of commonly per-
formed surgical procedures."
With laparoscopy, procedures are per-
formed through tiny incisions instead of
one large opening. Because the incisions
are small, patients tend to have quicker
Above: The waiting room at the West Bloomfield
clinic Below: Dr. Scott Laker
Michigan Institute for
Laparoscopic Surgery
recovery times and less discomfort than
with conventional surgery — all with the
same outcomes.
Benefits of laparoscopy include
reduced post-operative pain, reduced
need for pain medications, earlier return
to work and activity, lower wound
complications, improved cosmetics from
surgical scars and a lower likelihood of
developing intra-abdominal scar tissue,
Dr. Laker adds.
He performs a wide variety of proce-
dures related to the abdomen and has
expertise in complex abdominal wall
hernias, reflux disease, diseases of the
gallbladder, esophagus, stomach, small
intestine and colon.
"We can now do major colon surger-
ies safely and effectively with laparos-
copy," says Dr. Laker, who treats several
patients with both benign and malignant
disease of the colon. "Ninety percent of
colon surgeries are being done with tra-
ditional surgery, but the right operation
is the one the doctor knows best. I get
equivalent outcomes with laparoscopy."
All procedures are done under gen-
eral anesthesia, and patients can often
return home the same day after gall
bladder surgery and inguinal hernia sur-
gery. Complex hernia repairs and reflux
patients go home the following day.
"Many people have laparoscopic repair
of an inguinal hernia [groin hernia] on
Friday and are back to work on Monday,"
Dr. Laker says.
A WEIGHT LOSS PARTNER
A major component of Dr. Laker's prac-
tice is bariatric surgery, and he recog-
nizes the importance of a team effort
for complex medical/surgical issues and
works with a number of specialists to
ensure the best and most appropriate
management of his patients.
Obesity prevalence is the highest it
has ever been, according to the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Preven-
tion, which states that more than one-
third of American adults are affected.
A person is classified as obese if their
body mass index (BMI)) is higher than
30. If their BMI is higher than 40, they
are deemed morbidly obese. According
to the National Institutes of Health, for
morbidly obese people, bariatric surgery
is often the only effective treatment to
lose weight and maintain weight loss in
the long term.
Bariatric surgery has been shown to
help improve or resolve many obesity-
related conditions, such as type 2 diabe-
tes, high blood pressure, heart disease
and more. Frequently, individuals who
improve their weight find themselves
taking less and less medications to treat
their obesity-related conditions.
Still, the procedure entails a dramatic
change in lifestyle. "The decision to have
bariatric surgery is one of the biggest
decisions any person can make," Dr.
Laker says. "Education, planning and a
partnership with a bariatric program is
paramount to patient success."
At the Michigan Institute for Laparo-
scopic Surgery, the process begins with
an informational seminar on the types of
procedures Dr. Laker performs. Details
are also provided on pre- and post-
operative instructions as well as dietary
guidelines. Dr. Laker holds monthly
bariatric seminars at no cost. The next
one takes place May 14 at the West
Bloomfield office.
Dr. Laker uses a nutritionist and
exercise physiotherapist to help educate
and ensure the best possible outcomes
both before and after surgery. "Our goal
is to help our patients through all stages
of recovery and weight loss and this
requires a team approach," he says.
Whether bariatric surgery, hernia
repair or other laparoscopic surgery, Dr.
Laker's patients are ensured the best
quality care from pre-surgical visits to
recovery. "I firmly believe in the benefits
of this kind of surgery and am convinced
that it will become the standard for
more and more types of procedures as
time goes on," he says.
❑
For more information, email info@
michigansurgery.com , call (248) 255-4380
kr
or visit www.michigansurgery.com .
JN
April 24 • 2014
55