March 4, 2004

"48 HOURS INVESTIGATES" REPORTS ON BOTCHED GASTRIC BYPASS SURGERIES BY DOCTORS WITH LITTLE EXPERIENCE PERFORMING THE PROCEDURE, FRIDAY, MARCH 5

"Newman" from "Seinfeld" (Actor Wayne Knight) and Subway Guy Jared Fogle Tell Their Stories of Losing Extreme Weight

Low Carbohydrate Diets Are the Latest Rage, But Will They Work in the Long Run?
?
Gastric bypass surgery is no longer just for the rich and famous and doctors all over the country are learning how to perform the complicated surgery, sometimes in one weekend, because it so lucrative. However, there is no official certification or mandatory training for weight-loss surgery, as there is for cardiology or even cosmetic surgery. 48 HOURS INVESTIGATES found the consequences from botched weight-loss surgeries by doctors with little training or experience in performing the procedure are devastating and even deadly: Five people have died in New England, six in Iowa and seven in Georgia, all within a year-and-a-half. 48 HOURS INVESTIGATES: "Extremely Perfect" will be broadcast Friday, March 5 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

Correspondent Harold Dow reports on botched gastric bypass surgeries and the doctor, Ramesh Srungaram, who performed them. At least 22 of Srungaram's patients, or their families, have filed lawsuits against him. Dow speaks to Steve Burr of Houston, Texas and Kaye Parsley of Lubbock, Texas, who, they say, survived botched surgeries by Dr. Srungaram, and to the family of Donna Collins of Houston, who died after Srungaram performed weight-loss surgery on her. Srungaram, who has been suspended and fired by hospitals, was fined $25,000 last fall, placed on probation for seven and a half years and is required to have another doctor observe him for his next 100 weight-loss surgeries. ?
Dr. Julie Ellner, one of the country's leading weight-loss surgeons, tells Dow, "Unfortunately, there are a lot of training courses where surgeons can learn how to do this in a weekend. These are some of the highest risk patients you could possibly operate on. And if you aren't appropriately trained, you could kill people." ?
Actor Wayne Knight, better known as "Newman" from the hit television comedy, "Seinfeld," is sporting a brand new look. He lost 100 pounds without surgery or diet drugs. So, how did he do it? Correspondent Susan Spencer get's the skinny on Knight's remarkable weight-loss.

(More)

CBS News...2

Also, from "Atkins" to "The Zone" to "The South Beach Diet," Americans are crazy about low carbohydrate diets. As a result, low-carb foods have become a $15 billion a year business. Correspondent Susan Spencer reports on one family that was once overweight, the Stellas, from Norwalk, Conn., who went low-carb and collectively lost 560 pounds. However, Dr. David Katz from Yale is convinced it wasn't just from cutting carbohydrates. Katz tells Spencer, "Mark my words. Within a couple of years people who go on low-carb diets, event he Atkins induction phase, probably wont' lost any weight...because you're not cutting calories."

Correspondent Richard Schlesinger talks to the famous Subway restaurant guy, Jared Fogle, who lost 245 pounds on his own special diet of Subway sandwiches.

48 HOURS INVESTIGATES: "Extremely Perfect" is produced by Peter Henderson, Mary Sue Holland, Ian Paisley and Gail Zimmerman. The senior producer is Peter Schweitzer and the executive producer is Susan Zirinsky.

• * *

Press contact: Marcy Erhard 212-975-2888 erhardm@cbsnews.com