Another LapBand Clinic sprung up in T.O.!

[Donna D 1]

Doddie I noticed on the cibo website that their nutritionist is a woman named Jill. Do you know tlbc's Jill's last name?

[Doddie63 6]

Sent you a private e mail with her last name. Jill (at TLBC) works part time or at least she was when I met her last Feb. She is very busy now with 12 long distance patients she is helping with nutrion and support. I don't think the CIBO Jill is ours as I just spoke to our Jill Tues.

[Donna 0]

I would be extremely wary of this new clinic! If who I believe is the surgeon (or one of them there) what will happen to the patients aftercare IF he is found guilty at his disciplinary hearing?

[Doddie63 6]

went back to CIBO and did not find any reference to the doctor we all appear to be thinking about. The surgeon is a female doctor trained in the US. So I wouldn't worry about that but I would be concerned about her track record and how if I was research a clinic would find that out? Any ideas for newbies researching. Doddie

[Donna 0]

I have it from a reputable source that Dr. Joffee is definitely involved with this clinic but is probably keeping a low profile with his disciplinary hearing coming up.

[so done with it all 1]

Of course there is no reference to him on their website. They aren't that stupid but they are stupid enough to not realize just how small the banding community is and how quickly stuff gets out. I've known for many months about CIBO when they were still in the developping stages of starting up and I knew about their association with the other TLBC surgeon for months now.

Anyone who uses him for RNY have already found out that he is now seeing them at the CIBO location. If you ask CIBO, they say she has done over 150 surgeries but I've yet to see her name mentioned by one bandster and I belong to many international boards and researched her name and never got a hit on any of them so I think she's probably just starting out banding and he will be her coach and mentor.

I'd not go there for many reasons including lack of experience on the main surgeon's part but also if they would associate themselves with someone that has pending allegations, I'd wonder what else they'd do. This has shot up huge red flags for me from day 1.

[Donna 0]

Excellent points!

[peaches9 3]

If you check the new W/L clinic for banding in Sarnia On. , it also does P/S... they do list Dr. Joffe as their LB surgeon.

I do not have any inform about who the surg. are at CIBO.(Toronto)

But that being said, I think Dr. J is up on review because of his NON surgical actions... I have never read anything stating that he was not a top notch surgeon.

JMO

[so done with it all 1]

Peaches,

You are absolutely right about what he is facing but nobody is questioning his surgical abilities at all. I just don't think I would want to have a surgeon that might potentially lose their licence. Banding requires far too much follow-up and a lot of people know that you just can't find another surgeon to take you on as a patient if yours is no longer practicing. We don't have the luxury of having fill centres all over like they do in the US and that would just be for fills. If he is found guilty and loses his licence what happens if someone has a slipped band that he implanted after he left TLBC.

Until everything is settled, I just don't feel he should be doing bands because of the extensive follow-up. If he is found not guilty then by all means he will be highly recommended once again.

[Doddie63 6]

well said fousilly. there is no quarantee we will have future care if our doctors leave, retire, etc. All we can hope for is the MSA in each province make it a general office visit. Some doctors are trying, but the various Colleges are procrastinating on their decisions. So any newbies out there, take an established clinic and let the new one makes its reputation on someone else. Doddie

[PSTEVENS9 0]

I'm a newby and currently looking into surgery at this new clinic. The surgeon is Minoli Misra. She works out of St. Joe's in Hamilton and I liked her very much when I went to see her. I'm more than a little concerned about the comments about this clinic? Does anyone have anything to base this on?

PSTEVENS9

[Doddie63 6]

Hi: comments are on one of the doctors we think is backing the clinic, not the clinic itself. But the general consensus in deciding on any clinic is to try and pick a surgeon who has done roughly 200 bands and has a network of support organized. After care is vital and I personally would pick one of the longer established clinics if they were all within my home. If you do go with your clinic please let us know how they do. Doddie

[PSTEVENS9 0]

Well, I sent an e-mail to the founder of CIBO asking him some very important questions. I'll let you know what he says. Nisrene is the woman I met with and she seemed very nice. I asked him if she used to work at the other clinic and I asked him about the price. I don't see why I should pay an extra $2,000 for an inexperienced clinic. However, I did google Dr. Misra and she teaches laproscopic surgery. I really did like her.

[peaches9 3]

Did I understand that last post correctly? CIBO is charging $18000 for Lapband?

Personaly, I would choose a clinic based on LONG TERM results and Reputation, not the surgeons personality... Its their SKILL and follow thru with patients on a time proven basis that I'd be concerned about.

[PSTEVENS9 0]

Yes, they charge $18,000. That's one of the questions I've asked. As for the surgeon, here is what it says about her. I've been to other doctors for other problems and they spoke highly about her.

Dr. Monali Misra, MD, FRCS©, FACS

Chief Surgeon

Dr. Monali Misra obtained her MD from the University of Saskatchewan, completed her General Surgery residency at McMaster University and completed an Advanced Laparoscopic and Bariatric Surgical Fellowship at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. She holds certification in General Surgery from the American Board of Surgery.

Dr. Misra shares her expertise by teaching courses in laparoscopy to other surgeons, clinical fellows, residents, medical students and nurses at the Center for Minimal Access Surgery at McMaster University. She is also actively involved in bariatric and laparoscopic research, and has been involved in numerous studies, many of which have been presented at national and international meetings. Currently, she is a co-investigator in a study examining the benefits of bariatric surgery on Type II Diabetes Mellitus and is planning further research focused around bariatrics and advanced laparoscopic surgery.

Dr. Misra is a member of the American Society of Bariatric Surgeons (ASBS), the Society of Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES), the Canadian Obesity Network, the Canadian Association of General Surgery and other professional associations.