Weight loss surgery in Nashville, Tennessee
If you are struggling to lose weight, we are here to help.
We understand obesity can affect your quality of life. Our team at the TriStar Centennial Center for Weight Management takes a comprehensive approach to managing obesity and the accompanying health-related issues. We offer noninvasive and surgical options, along with compassionate follow-up care, to help you ensure you meet your long-term weight loss goals.
Expert advice, available 24/7
Free health-related advice is just a phone call away. Our licensed nurses will help you understand your symptoms, answer health-related questions, and navigate where to seek care.
Free health-related advice is just a phone call away. Our licensed nurses will help you understand your symptoms, answer health-related questions, and navigate where to seek care.
What you can expect from the TriStar Centennial Center for Weight Management
Located on the TriStar Centennial Medical Center campus in the heart of Music City, TriStar Centennial’s Center for Weight Management is part of a comprehensive healthcare facility delivering excellence in care to those affected by obesity.
Nationally-recognized weight loss procedures
Established in 2005, TriStar Centennial’s Center for Weight Management was one of the first 12 programs in the country to receive a Center of Excellence designation from the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP), which we proudly maintain through the American College of Surgeons (ACS).
Our care is patient-centered, and our surgical teams follow the most up-to-date best practices and guidelines, meeting a national standard of quality. With over 20 years of service in our community, our surgeons have performed over 10,000 laparoscopic and robotic-assisted weight loss surgeries.
Our personal approach
Our approach to treatment combines evidence-based medicine with an individualized plan of care. We offer a wide array of options, including weight loss classes with a dietitian, medical weight loss programs and weight loss (bariatric) surgery treatment options. If surgery is right for you, our experienced surgeons will discuss your options and work closely with you to decide the best course of action.
Our program provides:
- Education about lifestyle changes, weight loss medication and bariatric surgeries
- Personalized care plans established by our doctors
- Robotic-assisted and minimally invasive procedures for faster recovery times
- Support from our registered dieticians throughout your weight loss journey
- Support groups before and after surgery, led by our psychologists
Benefits of weight management
Weight management through surgical and nonsurgical means can help manage and reverse obesity, a disease that can lead to a number of health conditions, including:
- Certain types of cancer
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Osteoarthritis
- Sleep apnea
- Type 2 diabetes
Candidates for weight loss surgery
Our team will review your individual eligibility for weight loss surgery, as well as the pros and cons of each procedure. In general, to undergo weight loss surgery, patients must:
- Be unable to achieve or maintain a healthy weight through nonsurgical means
- Have a body mass index (BMI) greater than 35 with at least one of the following conditions:
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Osteoarthritis in some cases
- Sleep apnea
- Type 1 or 2 diabetes
- Have a BMI greater than 40
TriStar Health weight loss surgery
Watch this informational video to learn more about weight loss surgery and how it can improve your overall health. You will learn about the causes and effects of obesity, types of surgeries and their benefits and what you can expect before, during and after a procedure.
For more information about our weight loss management and bariatric surgery options, call (615) 342-1231.
Our weight loss treatments and services
We offer a wide range of noninvasive and minimally invasive weight management techniques. Some of the most common weight loss surgical procedures we offer include:
Duodenal switch surgery, including single anastomosis duodenal switch (SADI)
A duodenal switch limits how much you can eat. The procedure involves two steps: sleeve gastrectomy followed by the connecting of the intestine to the duodenum, which is the first part of the small intestine immediately beyond the stomach.
Ideal candidates for a duodenal switch include patients with a BMI greater than 55.
Gastric balloon
An intragastric balloon is inserted orally, guided through your esophagus and placed directly into your stomach. This is a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure that can be completed in approximately 20 minutes.
The balloon stays in place for six months and during this time, you will feel full faster. The reduced intake of food helps facilitate weight loss. You may be eligible for a gastric balloon procedure if:
- Your BMI is less than 30
- You have tried other weight loss programs like supervised diet, exercise and behavior modification programs but were unable to lose and keep off weight
After you receive the gastric balloon, you will be part of a program that includes a healthy diet and exercise plan. If this plan isn’t followed, you will not experience significant, maybe any, weight loss results.
We know losing and keeping off weight is not easy, so we provide a team of surgeons, exercise physiologist and dieticians to support you throughout the program.
Gastric bypass (Roux-en-Y)
Gastric bypass surgery (sometimes called Roux-en-Y gastric bypass) involves making the stomach smaller and bypassing part of the small intestine. This limits how much food you need to feel full and decreases the nutrients and calories your body is able to absorb. This procedure also causes gut hormones to release earlier, making you feel less hungry.
This is one of the most common bariatric surgeries, offering typical weight loss of 75 percent. It also significantly improves or completely resolves Type 2 diabetes, gastric reflux, hypertension and sleep apnea. This procedure is also considered a treatment for metabolic syndrome and can also eliminate the need for reflux medications.
Usually, gastric bypass surgery can be completed in two hours or less. Most patients will need to stay in the hospital for two or three days after their operation, and they can return to their typical lifestyle within two weeks. This bypass is not reversable or adjustable.
Ideal candidates include patients with a BMI greater than 35 with additional conditions such as diabetes, hypertension or sleep apnea.
Bariatric revision surgery
Bariatric surgeries are excellent treatment options that help many patients successfully lose weight. However, as with any surgery, some patients may not experience the results they want. In these cases, you may need follow-up or additional bariatric surgery. Because these patients have already had bariatric surgery before, this type of surgery is called "revisional" bariatric surgery.
Bariatric revision surgery procedures can vary greatly based on the original operation, how long ago it was performed, the degree of weight loss achieved and the current nutritional and physical state of the individual. Revision procedures are not one size fits all and not everyone is a candidate for a revision.
A bariatric surgeon may perform a revision operation in order to:
- Correct issues associated with weight loss surgery, such as a slipped gastric band, gastric band erosion or an enlarged stomach pouch
- Correct issues preventing weight loss, such as the intestines absorbing too many calories
- Correct medical complications resulting from surgery, such as bone loss or not absorbing vitamins and minerals correctly
- Remove a gastric band
Sleeve gastrectomy (gastric sleeve)
Sleeve gastrectomy (sometimes called "vertical sleeve gastrectomy") is a restrictive procedure and is the most common weight loss surgery. This procedure involves removing 75 to 80 percent of the stomach, virtually eliminating the hormones in your gastrointestinal tract that stimulate hunger. A sleeve gastrectomy procedure does not involve any bypass of the intestinal tract and can be performed laparoscopically.
With this surgery, you can eat less, and your appetite decreases. It offers not only significant long-term weight loss of greater than 65 percent but also improves or resolves Type 2 diabetes, hypertension and sleep apnea.
This procedure might be a good choice if you also have existing conditions, such as anemia or Crohn’s disease, which prevent you from having other forms of bariatric surgery.
Weight management programs
Our medical weight loss programs might be a good fit for you if you’re not quite ready for a surgical procedure or if your BMI is too low to qualify for surgery. Weight management programs may include:
- Treatment in a clinical setting with a licensed healthcare professional, such as a doctor or nurse practitioner
- Education and counseling with a registered dietitian
- Education and counseling with a licensed psychologist specializing in weight management
- Nutrition and physical activity counseling
- Medications to assist hunger and cravings
Benefits of minimally invasive procedures
Our procedures are performed using minimally invasive techniques, including laparoscopy and robotic-assisted surgery. This means our bariatric surgeons perform these procedures using tiny incisions with specialized surgical instruments. Some of the benefits of minimally invasive surgery include:
- Lower risks of complications and infections
- Reduced postsurgical pain
- Shortened hospital stays
- Shorter overall recovery time
Support after weight loss surgery
After a weight loss procedure, your diet and lifestyle will be different from what they previously were. Ideally, you will begin these changes before your surgery, giving you a head start on leading a healthier life.
Our team will help you understand what this lifestyle change entails. They will develop personalized diet and exercise plans for you, designed to ensure you can have long-term success in losing weight.