Bariatric Surgery Program

At University of Michigan Health, we offer a program that is unique to each patient where we safely perform surgery and help you meet your goals.

Appointments Female doctor speaks with patient in clinic room
  • About
  • Approach
  • Types of Surgery
  • Appointments
  • Locations
  • Doctors
  • Providers

    • Bariatric surgery, also known as weight loss surgery or metabolic and bariatric surgery, is a tool to help people lose weight by performing surgery on your stomach and digestive tract. Surgery is offered when individuals are unable to lose weight with diet and exercise, medications or when serious health problems occur because of their weight.  

    The success of bariatric surgery should be based on improvement or resolution of weight-related medical problems, improved life expectancy, and an improved quality of life, not numbers on a scale.  

    See our Bariatric Surgery page for more details about bariatric surgery and its benefits, risks and other considerations

    Our Approach

    Our bariatric program guides patients through their entire journey, from deciding which procedure is best, to care and counseling after surgery. Our team includes:

    • Surgeons
    • Physician Assistants
    • Registered Dietitians
    • Psychologists
    • Endocrinologists
    • Nurses

    Our accredited program also includes:

    • Efficient enrollment process
    • Online learning resources for an enhanced, convenient patient experience
    • Streamlined approach to minimize the number of appointments
    • Thorough evaluations customized for individual patients
    • Lifelong follow-up with the Michigan Medicine team

    Types of Surgery

    We offer the following surgical options for qualifying patients:

    • Gastric Bypass (Roux-en-Y): Gastric bypass surgery involves dividing the stomach to create a gastric pouch and surgically connecting the small intestine to the pouch.
    • Sleeve Gastrectomy: Sleeve gastrectomy surgery involves the surgical division and removal of approximately 80-85% of the stomach.
    • Other options: For information on endoscopic bariatric procedures, like the gastric balloon, contact your gastroenterologist. For information on non-surgical weight loss options, visit the Weight Control Services page.

    Appointment Information

    Call 734-936-5738 to schedule a new patient consultation at our Ann Arbor or Chelsea location.

    Watch our bariatric surgery informational video and take a follow-up quiz.

    Locations
    • General Surgery Clinic | Chelsea Professional Office Building 14650 E Old US Highway 12 Ste 201
      Chelsea Multispecialty Clinic
      Chelsea, MI 48118-1801       Get Directions
    • General Surgery Clinic | Taubman Center 1500 E Medical Center Dr
      Floor 2 Reception C
      Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5331       Get Directions

    Doctors

     Search for a U-M Health doctor     Justin Brigham Dimick, MD

    Justin Brigham Dimick, MD

    Professor

    Surgery

    Anne Pugel Ehlers, MD

    Assistant Professor

    Surgery

    Nazanene Helen Esfandiari, MD

    Clinical Professor

    Endocrinology, Internal Medicine

    labcoat

    Nada Fanous, MD

    Clinical Assistant Professor

    Endocrinology, Internal Medicine

    Jonathan Ford Finks, MD

    Clinical Professor

    Surgery

    Ryan Abram Howard, MD

    Ryan Abram Howard, MD

    Assistant Professor

    Surgery

    Hope Tiffany Jackson, MD

    Hope Tiffany Jackson, MD

    Clinical Associate Professor

    Surgery

    Shafaq Khairi, MD

    Shafaq Khairi, MBBS

    Clinical Assistant Professor

    Endocrinology, Internal Medicine

    Andrew Timothy Kraftson, MD

    Andrew Timothy Kraftson, MD

    Clinical Associate Professor

    Endocrinology, Internal Medicine

    Merve Kutahyalioglu, MD

    Merve Kutahyalioglu, MD

    Clinical Assistant Professor

    Endocrinology, Internal Medicine

    Show All Doctors

    Providers

     Search for a U-M Health provider     Michigan Photo

    Colleen Marie Buda, PA-C, MPAS, CSOWM

    Physician Assistant

    Physician Assistant

    David Francis Marshall, PhD

    David Francis Marshall, PhD

    Clinical Associate Professor

    Clinical Psychology, Clinical Neuropsychology

    Michigan Photo

    Jennifer Beth Norman, PA-C

    Physician Assistant

    Physician Assistant

    Kristen Loeher Votruba, PhD

    Kristen Loeher Votruba, PhD

    Clinical Associate Professor

    Clinical Psychology, Clinical Neuropsychology

    Michigan Photo

    Amanda Marie Wright, PA-C

    Physician Assistant

    Physician Assistant

    Bariatric Dietitians

    • Amy Lockwood, MPH, RDN - Lead Dietitian
    • Suzanna Al-Bacha, MPH, RDN -Dietitian
    • Elizabeth Zaebst, MPH, RDN -Dietitian

    Psychologists

    Bariatric Nurses

    • Jennifer Butman, BSN, RN, CBN
    • Kate Stacey, BSN, RN

    Team Coordinators

    • Audra Mahler - Surgery Scheduling Supervisor
    • Cathy Rayburn - Bariatric Surgery Insurance Verification
    • Stephen Whitaker – Surgery Scheduler
    • Kelly Kirby – Surgery Scheduler

    News & Stories

         weight scale black white in exam room close up
    Health Lab

    Adding obesity experts to primary care clinics improves patients’ weight loss outcomes

    A weight navigation program for primary care patients with obesity led to more use of proven weight management strategies and more weight loss
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    Health Lab

    Bariatric surgery may slow cognitive decline for people with obesity

    Investigators found that people with obesity who underwent bariatric surgery had stable cognition two years later. Researchers say it suggests that bariatric surgery may mitigate the natural history of cognitive decline expected in people with obesity.
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    Health Lab

    Bariatric surgery may reverse diabetes complications for people with obesity

    Recent research from the University of Michigan Health suggests that bariatric surgery may reverse diabetes complications for people with obesity. Learn more about this groundbreaking study and its potential implications for diabetes treatment.
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    Health Lab

    Bariatric endoscopy for weight loss: What is it and how does it work?

    A gastroenterologist discusses several non-invasive therapies for treating obesity
         Health Lab Podcast in brackets with a background with a dark blue translucent layers over cells
    Health Lab Podcast

    How Obesity Treatment is Changing

    What will it take to transform obesity care? New primary care models, increased access to medications and surgery, and more clinical training may help more patients.
    Health Lab

    After Assisting in Bariatric Surgeries, O.R. Nurse Chooses It for Herself

    Read the story of why Mandy Pate, R.N, made the decision to undergo a sleeve gastrectomy herself.