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Welcome to the Bariatric and General Surgery Center at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center
Take the first step toward living the life you are dreaming of, by choosing the bariatric surgery specialists at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center.
At MedStar Health, we understand the challenges that go along with weight management, both physically and emotionally. The bariatric specialists MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center who specialize in this field are here to help you tackle those challenges, one step at a time, and with continued focus on achievement of your health and lifestyle goals.
You can take the first step in the right direction by calling us at 443-777-1158 to a schedule an initial consultation.
Click here to read stories (with before and after photos) of patients we have guided through this journey with care and support, and who are living life to the fullest today.
Services we offer
Our Bariatric and Weight Loss Management Program offers:
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Preoperative weight management program - A three-to-six month medically-supervised weight loss program, designed to help you prepare—physically and mentally—for your procedure.
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Bariatric Surgery - Our program offers safe and effective weight loss surgery offered by top bariatric surgeons, trained in use of the latest technologies. A listing of the various surgical procedures our patients can choose from is available below.
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Free Monthly Support Group - A solid support system is critically important for long-term weight loss success. Monthly meetings include open discussions about weight loss strategies and approaches, and activities that promote a healthy lifestyle.
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Facebook Support Group - This private online group is for current and prospective patients; it provides a platform to share progress and connect with others who are on a similar journey. Visit our MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center Bariatric Facebook Support Group.
Procedures we offer
Surgical weight-loss options, designed uniquely for you
Different patients have different needs. Our team carefully assess your body mass index, eating habits, previous surgeries, and other health factors, in order to make a recommendation on the type of surgical procedure best suited for you. The bariatric surgeons at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center offer:
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Sleeve Gastrectomy
The laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, often called the “sleeve,” is performed by removing approximately 80 percent of the stomach. The portion of the stomach that remains is the size and shape of a banana.
How it Works
The procedure limits the stomach’s ability to hold food and liquid, helping reduce the amount of food (and calories) that are consumed. By removing the portion of the stomach that produces most of the “hunger hormone,” the surgery effects metabolism. It decreases hunger, increases fullness, and allows the body to reach and maintain a healthy weight, as well as control blood sugar. The potential for complications in the small intestine is minimal.
Advantages
- Technically simple procedure requiring only a short amount of time in the operating room
- Can be performed for certain patients with high-risk medical conditions
- May be performed as the first step for patients with severe obesity
- May be used as a bridge to gastric bypass or SADI-S procedures
- Effective weight loss and improvement of obesity related conditions
Disadvantages
- Non-reversible procedure
- May worsen or cause new onset reflux and heart burn
- Less impact on metabolism compared to bypass procedures
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Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB)
The Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass, often called the “gastric bypass,” has been performed for more than 50 years, and the laparoscopic approach was refined in 1993. It is one of the most common operations and is very effective in treating obesity and obesity-related diseases. The name is a French term meaning “in the form of a Y.”
The Procedure
- First, the stomach is divided into a smaller top portion (pouch) which is about the size of an egg. The larger part of the stomach is bypassed and will not be able to store or digest food following the surgery.
- The small intestine is also divided and connected to the new stomach pouch to allow food to pass. The small bowel segment, which empties the bypassed or larger stomach, is connected into the small bowel approximately 3-4 feet downstream, resulting in a bowel connection resembling the shape of the letter Y.
- Eventually, the stomach acids and digestive enzymes from the bypassed stomach and first portion of the small intestine will mix with food that is consumed.
How it Works
Like many bariatric procedures, the newly-created stomach pouch is smaller and able to hold less food, which means fewer calories are consumed. Additionally, the food does not come into contact with the first portion of the small bowel and this results in decreased absorption. Most importantly, the modification of the food routed through the gastrointestinal tract has a profound effect to decrease hunger, increase fullness, and allow the body to reach and maintain a healthy weight. The impact on hormones and metabolic health often results in improvement of adult-onset diabetes even before any weight loss occurs. The operation also helps patients with reflux (heart burn) and often the symptoms quickly improve. Along with making appropriate food choices, patients must avoid tobacco products and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Advantages
- Reliable and long-lasting weight loss approach
- Effective for remission of obesity-associated conditions
- Refined and standardized technique
Disadvantages
- Technically more complex compared to sleeve gastrectomy or gastric band procedures
- More vitamin and mineral deficiencies than sleeve gastrectomy or gastric banding
- There is a risk for small bowel complications and obstruction
- There is a risk of developing ulcers, especially for non-steroidal and anti-inflammatory drug user, and/or tobacco uses
- May cause “dumping syndrome” (a feeling of sickness after eating or drinking, especially sweets)
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Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch (BPD/DS)
The Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch (BPD-DS) begins with creation of a tube-shaped stomach pouch similar to the sleeve gastrectomy. It resembles the gastric bypass, where more of the small intestine is not used.
The Procedure
- Following creation of the sleeve-like stomach, the first portion of the small intestine is separated from the stomach.
- A part of the small intestine is then brought up and connected to the outlet of the newly created stomach, so that when the patient eats, the food goes through the sleeve pouch and into the latter part of the small intestine.
How it Works
The smaller stomach, shaped like a banana, allows patients to eat less food. The food stream bypasses approximately 75 percent of the small intestine-the most of any commonly-performed approved procedures. This results in a significant decrease in the absorption of calories and nutrients. Patients must take vitamins and mineral supplements after surgery. The BPD-DS effects intestinal hormones in a manner that reduces hunger, increases fullness, and improves blood sugar control. This procedure is considered to be the most effective approved metabolic operation for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes.
Advantages
- Among the best surgical procedure for overcoming obesity
- Affects bowel hormones to result in less hunger and more fullness after eating
- It is the most effective procedure for treatment of Type 2 diabetes
Disadvantages
- Has slightly higher complication rates than other procedures
- Highest malabsorption and greater possibility of vitamins and micro-nutrient deficiencies
- Reflux and heart burn can develop or get worse
- Risk of looser and more frequent bowel movements
- More complex surgery requiring more operative time
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Single Anastomosis Duodeno-Ileal Bypass with Sleeve Gastrectomy (SADI-S)
The Single Anastomosis Duodenal-Ileal Bypass with Sleeve Gastrectomy, referred to as the SADI-S, is the most recent procedure to be endorsed by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. While similar to the BPD-DS, the SADI-S is simpler and takes less time to perform, as there is only one surgical bowel connection.
The Procedure
- The operation starts the same way as the sleeve gastrectomy, making a smaller tube-shaped stomach.
- The first part of the small intestine is divided just after the stomach.
- A loop of intestine is measured several feet from its end and is then connected to the stomach. This is the only intestinal connection performed in this procedure.
How it Works
When the patient eats, food goes through the pouch and directly into the latter portion of the small intestine. The food then mixes with digestive juices from the first part of the small intestine. This allows enough absorption of vitamins and minerals to maintain healthy levels of nutrition. This surgery offers good weight loss along with less hunger, more fullness, blood sugar control, and diabetes improvement.
Advantages
- Highly-effective for long-term weight loss and remission of Type 2 diabetes
- Simpler and faster to perform than gastric bypass or BPD-DS
- Excellent option for a patient who already had a sleeve gastrectomy and is seeking further weight loss
Disadvantages
- Vitamins and minerals are not absorbed as well as in the sleeve gastrectomy or gastric band
- Newer operation with only short-term outcome data currently available
- Potential to worsen or develop new-onset reflux
- Risk of looser and more frequent bowel movements
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Revisions, conversions, and staged procedures
We offer revision, conversion, and staged procedures to address complications, weight regain, or insufficient weight loss.
Robotic-assisted bariatric surgery for greater precision and better outcomes
Where high-tech meets high touch.
Our physicians use the latest and most advanced surgical weight loss techniques, to optimize both your outcomes as well as your experience as a patient. One of these approaches involves use of the da Vinci® Surgical Robot in the operating room. This state-of-the-art technology allows for a minimally invasive approach to surgical care, through use of smaller incisions, made with far greater precision. For patients, this results in less risk, less discomfort, less scarring, and faster recoveries.
Wondering how it works? The surgeon, positioned a few feet away from the patient, operates a console equipped with a 3-D microscopic camera and four miniature robotic arms. The surgeon controls the robot, making exact, delicate movements with those robotic arms. This allows for extreme precision and greater dexterity than the human hand can achieve, alone.
Our team
Fully accredited in metabolic and bariatric surgery
The Center for Bariatric Surgery at MedStar Franklin Square is recognized as a Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP®). This program, which establishes a national accreditation standard for bariatric surgery centers nationwide, is a collaborative effort facilitated by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).
MBSAQIP works to advance safe, high-quality care for bariatric surgical patients through the accreditation of bariatric surgical centers. A bariatric surgical center achieves accreditation following a rigorous review process during which it proves that it can maintain certain physical resources, human resources, and standards of practice. All accredited centers report their outcomes to the MBSAQIP database.
This initiative was developed to assist bariatric patients in making more informed choices when selecting a provider. Importantly, this accreditation is also a requirement by some insurance companies to cover the cost of a bariatric procedure.
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Christopher You, MD
Christopher You, MD, serves as the medical director of bariatric surgery and is co-medical director of the comprehensive Robotic Surgery Program at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center. He advocates for the benefits of robotic and minimally-invasive surgery to help streamline the process of surgical care and recovery for patients. Dr. You is passionate about helping patients realize they have the power to take control of their own health. Their success is what makes his day. -
Alain Abdo, MD
Alain Abdo, MD, is a bariatric and minimally-invasive surgeon who performs primary and revisional weight loss procedures. Dr. Abdo is committed to fighting the obesity pandemic. He is passionate about being part of our bariatric services team and helping patients resolve stubborn weight-related challenges. -
Jasmine Booth
Jasmine Booth serves as a nurse practitioner who works closely with the bariatric surgeons and other team members to help prepare individuals for weight loss surgery as well as ongoing follow-up care. Jasmine is passionate about being part of our bariatric services team because she loves making a sustainable difference in quality of life for all of her patients through weight loss.
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Ashley Roberts
Ashley Roberts is a registered dietitian who serves as the bariatric program coordinator. She helps ensure our program maintains accreditation, coordinates resources within the bariatric program, and provides support and education for patients both before and following surgery. She is passionate about being part of our bariatric team because of the opportunities it provides to help patients achieve optimal health and reach their personal goals.
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Dina Coleman-Reed
Dina Coleman-Reed is the bariatric team’s lead medical assistant and surgical scheduling coordinator. She is a military veteran and a former educator who brings a plethora of teaching and medical experience to our practice. Her goal is to provide excellent care and experiences while treating patients as if they are family. She is currently pursuing a nursing degree.
Visiting us
Patient stories
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Meet Kathie
Kathie’s journey of becoming the best, happiest, healthiest version of herself has been a long one. Maintaining a healthy weight was a challenge for as long as she can remember; growing up, she wasn’t very athletic, and she didn’t make the best choices when it came to her daily diet. In 2008, Kathie decided to undergo gastric bypass surgery—a newer concept at the time, and the procedure proved to be successful. She lost more than 100 pounds. But over time, the weight crept back on, and as a it did, a whole host of health issues began presenting and impacting Kathie’s life. The extra weight was putting a lot of pressure on her back and knees, causing a lot of pain, and she had high blood pressure and cholesterol. She was having a hard time sleeping, and lacked energy to get through each day.
“I was tired of feeling bad and not being able to do the things I wanted to do,” said Kathie. “I needed support in making real changes in how I was living life.”
It was with that goal in mind that Kathie’s primary care physician encouraged her to consider bariatric surgery—again. Her new doctor explained that the approach to surgical weight loss had changed a lot over the years, and that revision surgery might be a solution worth consideration. Kathie scheduled an initial consultation with Dr. Alain Abdo at MedStar Franklin Square’s Center for Bariatric Surgery, and realized quickly that a second surgery really could mean a second chance for her. She ultimately underwent revision surgery in 2023.
“Everything about my experience the second time around was different,” recalls Kathie. “There was so much support from the care team, and the nutritional resources and educational information now available are tremendous.”
Those support systems guided Kathie through a process of learning how to eat, properly. She started to understand what it means to have what you want, but in moderation. She learned how importance it is to eat a high protein diet, and to be thoughtful about carbohydrates. And she followed the guidance of her dieticians, so that she could continue having the food she loves, but in healthier form.
“There are so many simple ways to modify recipes, so that you can have regular food but in a healthier version,” said Kathie. “Its simple things like choosing grilled chicken rather than fried or making a grilled cheese using spray butter to cut calories. It’s choosing a few animal crackers rather than cookies, for a treat. Being aware of what I am eating and how much I am eating, every day, is key.”
Today, Kathie weighs 148 pounds, feels fantastic, and is so grateful for the care she received at MedStar Franklin Square. She has resolved many of the health issues she was previously facing as a direct result of obesity. She is stronger and healthier physically and emotionally. She has exceeded her weight loss goal, and feels confident and proud, now wearing medium-sized clothes.
“I will never forget the day I went into a store looking for shorts, and wondering if anything in there would fit. I picked up a few different sizes, went into the dressing room, and was in shock when the size 7-8 shorts fit me perfectly,” said Kathie. “I was so happy that after I bought them, I clipped the tag out and hung it on the wall. It was a big deal, and still is!”
Maintaining focus and willpower will be a forever priority for Kathie as she thinks about what she needs to do to maintain her success. She keeps a list of healthy snack and lunch options hung on the side of her refrigerator for quick reference. And she reminds herself, often, that SHE is in control.
“So many things happen in life that you cannot control,” said Kathie. “Your weight is not one of them. I am making the right choices, every day, so I can be healthy and happy. It’s worth it!”
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Meet Rachele
For the majority of her life, Rachele had always been fairly thin and petite. Maintaining a healthy weight was not something she had found to be particularly difficult … until some of life’s challenges took their toll. Shortly after Rachele had her fifth and final child, she was facing some physical and mental health challenges, and found herself turning to food as a way of coping with stress and trauma. With her weight peaked at 285 pounds, she began thinking about weight loss surgery, at the recommendation of her cardiologist.
“I will always remember when my cardiologist told me that if I wanted to live, I needed to act like it,” recalls Rachele. “He told me my heart was being overworked and that my health issues were going to kill me if I didn’t make some changes.”
Determined to live, Rachele turned to MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center’s Bariatric Surgery Center and was introduced to Dr. Alain Abdo, who impressed her immediately with his excellent bedside manner and compassionate approach to care. He asked Rachele to explain why she wanted to have the surgery, what her goals were, and what lifestyle changes she would be willing to make if she did undergo surgery. Most importantly, he listened.
“Dr. Abdo made it clear that the decision to have surgery is a big one, and that I was the only person who could make it,” said Rachele. “I was scared to have surgery, but also felt confident that him and his team would give me the support I needed to get through it and be successful.”
Rachel opted to have the gastric sleeve procedure in January 2024. She made remarkable progress, quickly, dropping from a size 3X to 1X within six months. She has continued to lose weight, slowly but steadily, and today, comfortably fits into size medium or large clothing. She feels better, she looks better, and she has gained a new zest for life.
“It is so nice being able to do things without being out of breath, and having enough energy to play with my kids outside or take them to the arcade for a day of fun,” said Rachele. “I always take the steps rather than the elevator. I can jog, dance, and skate. And I can finally wear heels!”
Having gone through the surgery process, Rachele knows first-hand that the commitment can feel daunting. She encourages patients who are considering bariatric surgery to do a lot of research, find a doctor they are comfortable with, ask a lot of questions, and take opinions with a grain of salt.
“Everyone else’s opinion about what you should or should not do doesn’t matter when your goal is to live,” said Rachele. “The recovery process is not easy, but it is absolutely worth it. Don’t give up. Follow the plan. It works. I am proof of that!”
Now weighing in at a healthy 180 pounds, Rachele also reiterates how important it is for bariatric patients to be willing to change their relationship with food, in order to achieve their long-term goals. Mindset is key! Food should not be used as a coping mechanism, nor should it be consumed out of boredom.
“Today I eat when I am hungry, and I use food as a tool to fuel my body,” said Rachele. “My health is so important, and I don’t take it for granted after the journey I have been on.”