Cost of health care among patients with chronic and episodic migraine in Canada and the USA: results from the International Burden of Migraine Study (IBMS).

Objective: To evaluate and compare healthcare resource use and related costs in chronic migraine and episodic migraine in the USA and Canada.

Background: Migraine is a common neurological disorder that produces substantial disability for sufferers around the world. Several studies have quantified overall costs associated with migraine in general, with recent estimates ranging from $581 to $7089 per year.

Laparoscopic gastric banding is safe in outpatient surgical centers.

Background: Due to constraints on resources and capacity, as well as advances in surgical technique and care, there has been progressive change toward converting surgical procedures to the outpatient setting when feasible. This study was designed to investigate the safety of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) as an outpatient procedure for morbid obesity in Canada.

Methods: This retrospective analysis included consecutive patients who underwent outpatient LAGB at the Surgical Weight Loss Centre in Ontario, Canada, beginning with our initial experience in February 2005 and continuing to July 2009.