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  • Get started on your weight loss journey

    Bariatric and weight loss teams at Loyola Medicine are nationally recognized for helping patients lose weight through medical and surgical options.

    Call to start your weight loss journey:

    888-584-7888

What would you like to do?

  Take weight loss assessment
 Meet our team
  Weight loss treatments
  Free weight loss seminar
A woman showing excitement from losing weight

Start your weight loss journey

Loyola’s bariatric team is committed to lifelong health and wellness. Our medical and surgical weight loss specialists work together to help you lose weight and improve your overall health. Call us at 888-584-7888. 

Begin the intake process

Why choose Loyola Medicine for weight management and bariatrics?

Man holding up large sized pants
  • National recognition: Accredited by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program, Loyola locations are recognized as leading centers for weight loss surgery in the Chicago area.
     
  • Proven results: Our comprehensive bariatric program empowers patients to achieve significant and sustained weight loss by improving health outcomes and quality of life. 
     
  • Multidisciplinary approach: Bariatric surgeons work alongside specially trained medical weight loss physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, psychologists and exercise physiologists to prepare you physically and mentally for your procedure. 
     
  • Minimally-invasive weight loss surgery: Our expert surgeons use sophisticated techniques, including laparoscopic and robotic surgery, to carry out procedures through small incisions resulting in faster recovery and better outcomes. 
     
  • Education and support beyond weight loss surgery Loyola Medicine works with you to understand the medical, behavioral and social impacts of weight loss and provides you with the tools and community needed to succeed.

Bariatric patient stories and resources

  • Gastric bypass patient and care team
    Patient feels reborn following gastric bypass surgery

    Following gastric bypass surgery, a patient lost 150 pounds and no longer suffers from diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or sleep apnea.

  • Heart transplant patient and family
    Heart transplant patient receives second chance at life

    In need of a heart transplant, a patient had to lose weight. Loyola’s team developed a personalized weight loss plan to help him prepare for the life-saving heart transplant.

  • Woman high fiving a friend
    Debunking Common Myths about Bariatric Surgery

    Bariatric surgery is often misunderstood. While it has helped countless individuals regain control of their health, many myths persist, preventing people from considering it as a viable option.

    Loyola Medicine debunks the myths surrounding bariatric surgery and highlights surgical weight loss as a powerful tool for long-term weight management and health improvement.

    Read more

What are the types of bariatric surgery?

The Loyola Center for Metabolic Surgery & Bariatric Care offers expert surgical options for weight reduction and improvement of weight related medical problems. Our surgeons are committed to working with you to determine the best surgery for your individual needs.

Bariatric surgery, or surgery for weight loss, is an important tool in helping people lose significant amounts of weight. Bariatric surgeries are done when diet and exercise haven't worked or when you have serious health problems because of your weight. Bariatric surgery is the only treatment for obesity with proven long-term results due to its effects on both the gastrointestinal tract and the hormones that make it difficult for individuals with obesity to lose weight.

Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass graphic

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

The gastric bypass is a surgical procedure where a surgeon separates the upper portion of the stomach from the lower, creating a “pouch,” which is then connected to the small intestine. This bypasses the larger part of your stomach and part of the small intestine, resulting in you feeling full much more quickly and consuming fewer calories.

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Gastric sleeve surgery

Gastric sleeve surgery

Gastric sleeve surgery, also known as sleeve gastrectomy, is a procedure that changes the size of a person’s stomach to help with weight loss. A surgeon removes a large portion of the stomach, reducing the amount the stomach can hold by up to 80%. It now looks like a tube rather than a large pouch.

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Duodenal switch graphic

Duodenal switch surgery

The duodenal switch surgery is performed by completing a standard sleeve gastrectomy. The first portion of the small intestine is then divided, and the intestines are rerouted to create a shortened pathway for food, bypassing much of the digestive tract. The remaining section continues to transport bile and digestive enzymes from the liver and pancreas.

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A graphic showing a physician meeting with a patient at a desk

Robotic bariatric surgery

Many surgeries are performed with the help of a robotic system. Your surgeon sits at a console near you in the operating room, controlling a camera and tiny instruments used to perform your surgery. It provides a greater range of motion, smoother precision, and delivers magnification of the surgical area.

Learn More

An illustrated graphic showing three surgeons performing surgery on a patient in an operating room

Laparoscopic surgery

Many traditional surgical procedures require larger incisions. Laparoscopic surgery, also known as minimally invasive surgery, uses thin surgical instruments and a small telescope with magnification to perform operations using smaller incisions. This results in less postoperative pain, shorter hospital stays, faster recovery, and better cosmetic outcomes.

An illustrated graphic displaying the benefits of bariatric surgery

Revisional bariatric surgery 

Most patients who undergo bariatric surgery, such as gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy, never require another weight loss procedure. However, in certain cases, revisional bariatric surgery may be needed. These follow-up procedures improve health outcomes by correcting, modifying or reversing previous bariatric surgeries.

When is revisional bariatric surgery required?

There are numerous reasons why a patient requires revisional bariatric surgery. Although rare, bariatric surgery may need a follow-up procedure to address complications, revise the bariatric procedure for better outcomes or address weight regain. In general, a doctor will recommend revisional bariatric surgery if you suffer from:

  • Side effects that interfere with daily life, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease GERD
  • Insufficient weight loss or weight regain
  • Other complications, such as gastric band slippage or gastric ulcers
  • Your doctor will assess your overall health, weight loss progress and any quality-of-life issues to determine if revisional bariatric surgery is right for you.

For patients seeking an option without external incisions or the risk of scarring, bariatric endoscopy may be a viable alternative. The procedure is performed entirely with a camera inserted through the patient’s mouth providing access to the stomach and the small intestine. These procedures are less likely to be covered by insurance companies. There are two primary approaches.

  • A silicone balloon filled with saline is placed in the stomach to create fullness and reduce food intake. It is then removed after six months and can be repeated if needed.
  • Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty is when a doctor uses a scope and sutures to shrink the stomach by up to 80%, helping patients feel full sooner and for a longer period.