St. Francis Hospital officials have announced a new surgical weight-loss option available for patients who are morbidly obese.
The hospital’s Heart Center has launched a bariatric surgery program led by Dr. Shawn M. Garber that offers a variety of weight-loss surgeries that have proven safe and effective for patients who are more than 100 pounds overweight and have exhausted more conventional weight-loss options.
“We are pleased to have Dr. Garber and his fellow surgeons join St. Francis Hospital’s top-ranked G.I. surgery program,” said Dr. Jack Soterakis, St. Francis’s senior vice president of medical affairs and medical director, in a statement. “Many of the candidates for bariatric surgery face cardiac, pulmonary, orthopedic and other medical complications and are already a part of our patient population. This surgical option gives qualified patients new hope for improved quality of life.”
Approximately 36 percent of American adults are considered obese, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In addition, obesity is one of the leading causes of premature death, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, sleep apnea and degenerative joint disease.
Garber, known as one of the most experienced bariatric surgeons in the region, will lead a team skilled in performing procedures like scarless single-incision gastric banding, laparoscopic gastric bypass and scarless single-incision sleeve gastrectomy, according to a St. Francis news release.
Garber’s surgical team includes Dr. Spencer Holover, Dr. Javier Andrade, Dr. John D. Angstadt and Dr. Eric A. Sommer, who St. Francis officials say each have extensive experience performing bariatric procedures and have one of the largest caseloads in the northeast.
“It is our pleasure to be able to offer this new service at St. Francis and to be associated with its reputation for excellence,” Garber said. “This program is perfect for the Heart Center, because it is another important way for our patients to live longer, healthier lives.”
St. Francis Hospital is located at 100 Port Washington Blvd. in Roslyn.
Reach reporter Bill San Antonio by e-mail at bsanantonio@theislandnow.com, by phone at 516.307.1045 x215 or on Twitter @b_sanantonio. Also follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/theislandnow.
