Weight Loss Surgery and Non-Surgical Programs

Is Bariatric Surgery Right for You?

If you’re overweight, and diets and exercise haven’t helped, you may be considering bariatric (weight-loss) surgery, or another less invasive option. While surgery may sound extreme, carrying excess weight can put you at a higher risk for diabetes, high blood pressure and many other health concerns. East Cooper Medical Center is here to help.

Try our Online Bariatric Seminar

Your First Choice

At East Cooper Medical Center we want to be your first choice for weight-loss surgery and procedures. When you choose us, you can expect:

• Compassion. Experienced and compassionate care by board-certified physician who specialize in obesity medicine and surgery.
• Guidance. Our bariatric program navigator will help guide you, helping to simplify the process of qualifying for the surgery, obtaining the correct nutritional support, providing one on one attention, and more.
• Follow-through. A continuum of care that starts with your very first informational seminar and continues after your surgery to help you create lasting lifestyle changes.

Obesity is a disease. Bariatric surgery and other procedures can be the solution. We offer a combination of compassionate services, surgical expertise and ongoing therapy and support, including an outpatient clinic with personalized care that doesn’t end when you leave our hospital.

Weight loss surgery is generally designed for those with a body mass index (BMI) equal to or greater than 40, or equal to or greater than 35 with serious co-morbidities. Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding is also FDA-approved for weight loss surgery in people with a BMI of 30 to 35 who have at least one obesity-related condition. Weight loss surgery is considered safe, but like many types of surgery, it does have risks. Consult with your physician about the risks and benefits of weight loss surgery.

Hear From Our Bariatric Surgery Patients

Surgical Options for Weight-Loss

East Cooper Medical Center offers three different surgical weight loss procedures. Each has specific risks and benefits, and your physician will review each with you.

Surgical Procedures

Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

This inpatient procedure involves removing between 60 and 80 percent of the stomach, so that what’s left looks like a tube, or a sleeve. A smaller stomach means that you eat less, and that, along with a slower digestive process, leads to weight loss. This surgery is performed in at East Cooper Medical Center in Mount Pleasant.

Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass

This inpatient procedure creates a small pouch at the top of your stomach, and in addition your small bowel is divided. The biliopancreatic limb is reattached to your small bowel on one end, and the other is connected to the pouch, creating what’s called a Roux limb. The pouch releases food slowly, so you feel full after eating very little food

Gastric Band

The Gastric Band (LAP-BAND(R)) surgery is an outpatient weight-loss procedure that relies on a silicone band to restrict food intake. During this procedure, the band is positioned around the upper end of the stomach – a technique that establishes a small upper pouch which is linked to the larger bottom portion of the stomach by a narrow passageway. The purpose of the procedure is simply to create a “full” feeling in the patient, which can help to reduce the intake of food.

We also offer revision bariatric surgery to address complications from a previous surgery or enhance weight-loss results.

Non-Surgical Options for Weight-Loss

Weight Loss Balloon

The balloon is a non-surgical, non-invasive, non- permanent, incision-free weight loss program using an intra-gastric balloon. The balloon is placed in the stomach for six months, then removed.

Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG)

The Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty is a newer type of incision-less weight-loss procedure. ESG reduces the size of the stomach using an endoscopic suturing device without the need for surgery.

We also offer endoscopic (incision-less) revision procedures for those that have regained weight after Gastric Bypass or Sleeve Gastrectomy Surgery because of stretching of their bypass or sleeve.

Bariatric Support Groups

Weight-loss surgery isn’t just about losing weight. Not everyone in your life will understand that. East Cooper has a support group so that you’ll immediately have a caring community of friends to lean on for support. If you have had weight-loss surgery, or are considering it, please join us. You’ll be able to share what life is like after surgery as well as learn more about what to expect from the procedure.