Surgical Weight Loss Options 101
Background
Michael Schweitzer, M.D., developed the laparoscopic bariatric surgery programs at the Medical College of Virginia (one of the first ten laparoscopic gastric bypass programs in the country), Georgetown University, Sinai Hospital of Baltimore and the Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Schweitzer was the first surgeon in the mid-Atlantic area to perform laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and the first in Maryland to perform laparoscopic adjustable gastric band surgery and laparoscopic duodenal switch with biliopancreatic diversion.
Currently chair of the membership committee for the American Society of Bariatric Surgeons, Dr. Schweitzer also serves as a site inspector for the American College of Surgeons Bariatric Center of Excellence Program. He serves on three editorial boards: the Journal of Laparoendoscopic and Advanced Surgical Techniques, Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases the official journal of the American Society of Bariatric Surgeons) and Bariatric Times.
Dr. Schweitzer was the first to ever publish a technique for endoscopic stoma reduction using transoral endoscopic suturing. A great deal of attention is focused on the future of transoral surgery to avoid abdominal incisions for routine surgery ("No-Scar Surgery"). Dr. Schweitzer is one of the first to apply this technology to bariatric patients.
A writer of numerous papers, chapters and review articles on bariatric surgery, several of Dr. Schweitzer''s laparoscopic bariatric surgical techniques have been featured in the American College of Surgeons Cine Video Series. He is considered an international expert on venous thromboembolic complications after bariatric surgery and has one of the lowest complication rates documented in world surgical literature.
Dr. Schweitzer currently has an extremely active laparoscopic bariatric practice that includes laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, laparoscopic adjustable gastric band, laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, laparoscopic duodenal switch with biliopancreatic diversion, and revision of previous surgery.
The team at the Johns Hopkins Center for Bariatric Surgery has successfully completed over 2500 bariatric procedures.