Board-certified Bariatric Surgeons You Can Trust
Struggling with your weight or related medical problems? We know how frustrating that can feel – especially when countless dieting programs haven’t delivered the results you need to transform your health and life.
At Freeman Bariatric Center, we may have just the solution for you. Our board-certified surgeon T. Brad Coy, DO performs safe and proven weight loss procedures, using the most minimally invasive techniques possible. From your first visit through ongoing follow-up care, we provide the support you need to achieve your weight loss goals.
Of course, our program isn’t just about the weight. Bariatric surgery can help reduce or reverse diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and other chronic conditions. You may also benefit from less joint pain, better sleep, more confidence and the freedom to live an active and healthier life.
Weight Loss Surgery Options
Duodenal switch surgery is a weight-loss procedure that combines the principles of restriction and malabsorption by making the stomach smaller and rerouting the intestines. This combination of treatments is a proven, effective way to lose weight and improve weight-related health issues.
What is duodenal switch surgery?
Biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch (BPD-DS) surgery is a 2-part procedure in which approximately 75-80% of the stomach is removed (similar to the gastric sleeve surgery). Then, a small, tubular stomach pouch is created. The outlet of the newly created stomach pouch is then connected to the last portion of the small intestine called the duodenum.
How does duodenal switch surgery work?
Food empties directly into the duodenum, bypassing about ¾ of the small intestine. This causes the body to absorb fewer calories and nutrients. Duodenal switch surgery affects hormones in the gut to reduce hunger, increase satiety (satisfied feeling of being full after eating) and help control blood sugar to effectively treat diabetes.
What are the benefits of duodenal switch surgery?
Duodenal switch surgery provides the highest average expected weight loss available among bariatric procedures and offers the best chance of curing diabetes (up to 98%).
After surgery, the stomach is roughly the size and shape of a banana and can hold approximately 3 ounces of food, as compared to the average stomach which can hold up to 4 cups of volume. Additionally, by shortening the path food travels through in your intestine you absorb fewer calories. This combination of restriction and malabsorption creates a rapid weight loss. BPD-DS will not eliminate your desire for food completely, but many people eat because it is time not because they feel hungry.
About Gastric Bypass Surgery
In gastric bypass surgery, a small stomach pouch is created by dividing the top of the stomach from the rest of the stomach. The first portion of the small intestine is divided and connected to the newly created stomach pouch. The other portion of the divided small intestine is then connected further down the small intestine so the stomach’s acids and digestive enzymes in the bypassed stomach will still be able to react with food. This surgery limits the amount of food you can consume before feeling full. Most patients see up to 80% excess weight loss within 18 months.
Changes in gut hormones are a result of the rerouting of the food stream. These hormones help make you feel fuller, suppress hunger and reverse one of the primary mechanisms that causes type 2 diabetes.
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About Sleeve Gastrectomy
Gastric sleeve surgery involves surgery on the stomach only (considered a “restrictive” procedure). A thin vertical sleeve of stomach is created using a stapling device, and the rest of the stomach (roughly 2/3) is removed. The sleeve is about the size of a banana. The smaller stomach restricts the amount of food you can consume in a single sitting, providing a quicker sense of fullness and decreased appetite. Food passes through the digestive tract in the usual order, allowing it to be fully absorbed in the body.
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Helpful Bariatric Surgery Resources
Why Choose Freeman?
Everything You Need to Succeed
Accreditation
Freeman Bariatric Center has been accredited as a Comprehensive Center under the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP®), a joint program of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. The first and only comprehensive bariatric program in the area to be accredited within a 65-mile radius, Freeman Bariatric Center meets the highest standards for patient safety and quality of care.
Expertise
If you’re a candidate for weight loss surgery, rest assured you’re in highly skilled hands. Our surgeons are among the most experienced in Southwest Missouri, performing hundreds of bariatric procedures each year. We have some of the lowest hospital readmission rates in the region, and have been rated #1 in the area for medical excellence and patient safety by CareChex®, an independent quality rating system that helps consumers evaluate healthcare providers.
Personalized guidance
Wherever you are on your weight loss journey, we’ll help you find your way. Our staff works one-on-one with you to create a plan for success. We’ll also coordinate your seminar appointment and are available to answer any questions you may have at any time.
Care for the whole you
At every step, you’ll have the same dedicated team of weight loss experts by your side. That includes a registered dietitian, financial counselor, psychologist and more – all committed to your total well-being.
Less pain, faster recovery
Our surgeons are trained in the latest laparoscopic and open-surgical techniques, requiring just a few small incisions. For you, that may mean less pain, fewer complications and faster recovery, so you can get started right away on your goals.
Lifelong support
Life after surgery can be a challenge, both physically and emotionally, as you commit to a whole new way of life. Our after-care program includes continued dietary and lifestyle counseling, plus monthly bariatric support groups to help you stay on track.
Weight Loss Surgery Success Stories
Care that transforms your health—and your life.
Every day, we’re inspired watching our four-state area patients take charge of their health and lives, and are privileged to help guide that transformation. We invite you to share in a few of their stories at Freeman Bariatric Center, and remember, you can have your own great success.
Start with a free weight loss surgery seminar. One of our board-certified surgeons will explore a variety of life-changing options and answer any questions to help you make the best decision for your life.
Watch below as we outline the success of bariatric surgery at the Freeman Bariatric Center.
