East Cooper Medical Center successfully completed its first three surgical weight loss procedures.
“Launching new services here in Mount Pleasant is always rewarding as we strive to make quality healthcare more accessible to local residents,” said Patrick Downes, CEO at East Cooper Medical Center. “When it comes to obesity, carrying excess weight can put someone at a higher risk for diabetes, high blood pressure and many other health concerns. We are excited to be a part of our patients’ weight loss journey and we look forward to serving others in the coming weeks and months thanks to Dr. Morris Washington and his team.”
Each of the three procedures on Wednesday were a laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. This surgery involves removing between 60 to 80 percent of the stomach, so that what’s left looks like a tube, or a sleeve. A smaller stomach means you eat less which, along with a slower digestive process, leads to weight loss. There are two other surgical weight loss procedures offered at East Cooper Medical Center – the laparoscopic gastric bypass and the gastric band.
Each month, East Cooper Medical Center hosted three informational seminars for members of the community at no cost to attendees. Dr. Washington and the hospital's bariatric program navigator lead an in-depth conversation about what’s involved in surgical weight loss, from the costs of surgery itself to what happens afterwards. Registration can be completed on East Cooper Medical Center's website.