Bariatric Surgery for Weight Loss
- Improved quality of life
- Improved energy levels
- Reduced risk of cancers
- Improved breathing
- Helps address sleep apnea
- Improved mental state
Bariatric Surgery to Improve Your Quality of Life
Proven Weight Loss Surgery, Real Results
The decision to pursue weight-loss surgery is a very personal decision that is not taken lightly. Many patients spend more than a year researching their options and evaluating whether weight-loss surgery is right for them.
Even after you make the decision to proceed, you may still have questions or concerns about your bariatric surgery. Covenant Health’s caring bariatric surgery team is here to help you determine if you are a qualified candidate and which weight loss option is best for you.
A care coordinator will contact you by phone during normal business hours.
Bariatric Surgery Form
A care coordinator will contact you by phone during normal business hours.
Bariatric Surgery Form
Bariatric Surgery to Improve Your Quality of Life
Proven Weight Loss Surgery, Real Results
The decision to pursue weight-loss surgery is a very personal decision that is not taken lightly. Many patients spend more than a year researching their options and evaluating whether weight-loss surgery is right for them.
Even after you make the decision to proceed, you may still have questions or concerns about your bariatric surgery. Covenant Health’s caring bariatric surgery team is here to help you determine if you are a qualified candidate and which weight loss option is best for you.
Learn more about Covenant Health’s surgical treatment for weight loss
Where you need us
Two convenient locations to serve you
Fort Sanders Regional Hospital
1819 W. Clinch Ave., Suite 200
Knoxville, TN 37916
865-328-4677
Foothills Weight Loss Surgeons is affiliated with the Fort Sanders Center for Bariatric Surgery in Knoxville. Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center is a Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) accredited by the American College of Surgeons. Fort Sanders is a member of Covenant Health Bariatric Services.
Parkwest Medical Center
9330 Park West Blvd. #508, Physicians Plaza
Knoxville, TN 37923
865-324-0605
New Life Center for Bariatric Surgery is affiliated with the Parkwest Center for Bariatric Surgery in Knoxville. Parkwest Medical Center is a member of Covenant Health Bariatric Services. Dr. Williams is also associated with Fort Sanders Regional and Tennova Turkey Creek Medical Center, both are Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Programs (MBSAQIP) accredited by the American College of Surgeons.
Our leading bariatric surgeons
You're in good hands with our Bariatric Surgery Team
Fort Sanders Regional Hospital
1819 W. Clinch Ave., Suite 200
Knoxville, TN 37916
865-328-4677
Mark A. Colquitt, MD, FACS, FASMBS
Bariatric and General Surgeon
Dr. Mark Colquitt is a bariatric surgeon with Foothills Weight Loss Surgeons and Premier Surgical in Knoxville, TN. Dr. Colquitt specializes in surgical weight loss procedures including gastric bypass, gastric sleeve and duodenal switch. He is a board certified general surgeon and a Fellow of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopy Surgery. Dr. Colquitt is the medical director of the Fort Sanders Regional Center for Bariatric Surgery, accredited as a Comprehensive Center under the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement. He joined Premier Surgical in 1994.
Parkwest Medical Center
9330 Park West Blvd. #508, Physicians Plaza
Knoxville, TN 37923
865-324-0605
K. Robert Williams Jr, MD, FACS, FASMBS
Bariatric and General Surgeon
Dr. K. Robert Williams, Jr. is a general and bariatric surgeon with Premier Surgical Associates and New Life Center for Bariatric Surgery in Knoxville, TN. Dr. Williams is the Medical Director of the Parkwest Medical Center for Bariatric Surgery, performing weight loss surgery procedures such as gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy and duodenal switch. He also specializes in minimally invasive general surgery procedures surgeries including cholecystectomy, appendectomy and hernia repair. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Dr. Williams joined Premier Surgical in 2006.
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BMI greater or equal to 35 or a BMI between 30-35 with comorbidities or 100+ lbs overweight - You have obesity related conditions in your health history
- Age 18 or greater
- Acceptable operative risk, as determined by surgeon
- Motivated to lose weight or are willing to adjust your lifestyle
- Absence of drug or alcohol problem
- No uncontrolled psychological conditions
- Consensus after bariatric team evaluation
- Understands surgery and risks
The health effects of obesity are clear. People who have overweight or obesity*, compared to those with healthy weight, are at increased risk for many serious diseases and health conditions. These include:
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- High LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, or high levels of triglycerides (dyslipidemia)
- Type 2 diabetes
- Coronary heart disease
- Stroke
- Gallbladder disease
- Osteoarthritis (a breakdown of cartilage and bone within a joint)
- Sleep apnea and breathing problems
- Many types of cancer
- Low quality of life
- Mental illness such as clinical depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders
- Body pain and difficulty with physical functioning
- All-causes of death (mortality)
Source – https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/effects/index.html
"Weight loss surgery for the morbidly obese, when combined with behavior modification, is currently the most reliable and only choice for long term maintenance of excess weight loss."
Bariatric surgery works because it addresses the core issue of intake capacity. With Bariatric and Metabolic surgery, the patient’s body can only intake so many calories per day which leads to the body adjusting hormone levels to support weight loss. This leads to the patient being able to sustainably lose weight for life.
Laparoscopic Roux-en Y (Gastric Bypass)
Once the most popular weight loss surgical option, the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) has been performed for over 50 years. After RYGB, a typical patient may expect to lose about 75% of their excess weight and improve their health dramatically. A patient’s appetite is significantly depressed after RYGB, which can help patients make the necessary healthy dietary changes needed to be successful.
Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass surgery is designed to help reduce the amount of food you eat by decreasing hunger and overall calorie absorption from fat. In addition to significant weight loss, RYGB dramatically reduces the health risks posed by obesity-related health conditions, including diabetes, sleep apnea, hypertension, and many others.
Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy (Gastric Sleeve)
The “gastric sleeve” procedure decreases food intake by permanently reducing the size of the stomach. The surgery removes about 85 percent of the stomach, resulting in a stomach about the size and shape of a banana. This 85 percent includes the portion of the stomach that produces ghrelin, a hormone responsible for appetite and hunger. When ghrelin isn’t present, a reduction in appetite results.
Instead of patients losing weight because their bodies do not absorb calories, patients with a gastric sleeve lose weight because their bodies are restricting the amount of food that can be consumed. Less food means fewer calories. It is important to note that the gastric sleeve procedure is not reversible.
As with any weight loss procedure, success is dependent upon the patient’s commitment to weight loss.
Bariatric Revision and Conversion Surgery
For a variety of reasons a small number of patients may experience the need for a revision or conversion of their original bariatric operation. Sometimes individuals benefit from an additional procedure to relieve symptoms of nausea or if they have not successfully achieved significant lasting weight loss. A revision will retain and modify your original procedure, while a conversion will replace an unsatisfactory procedure with a different one. Our bariatric surgeons are experienced in the revision and conversion or previous weight loss surgery. They can evaluate a patient’s situation and recommend appropriate treatment.
- Call your insurance to verify if you have Bariatric Surgery coverage. If your insurance does not cover bariatric surgery, self pay is available and we are happy to discus other options with you.
- View our Bariatric Informational Seminar
- Watch the 17-Minute bariatric seminar here.
- Fill out new Patient Paperwork
- Please download our forms at https://www.newlifebariatricsurgery.com/patient-forms/
- Fill Out the Form at the Top of This Page
- Schedule a Surgical Consultation
- Obtain Insurance Approval
- Attend Pre-Op Educational Class
- Final Pre-Op Evaluation
- Surgery Day
- Attend your Office Follow-Up Visits
Your Questions Answered
Frequently Asked Questions
Many patients fear they will fail with surgery because nothing they have tried has provided lasting weight loss or because they know someone who failed. Our experience at New Life Center is that 100% of our patients are successful when the patient is committed to making the lifestyle changes taught and reinforced in our program. A commitment to change to the key to success!
Some employers understand the importance of their employee’s health and have elected to cover weight loss surgery. The best way to find out if you have coverage is to call the customer service number on the back of your card and ask “Do I have coverage for weight loss surgery?”
You can find our complete list of accepted insurances at https://www.covenanthealth.com/accepted-insurances/
If your insurance does not cover your procedure, we have Self-Pay rates and offer BLISS insurance that will cover the cost of the most common complications should they occur.
Yes, you can. Most insurance policies that cover weight loss surgery require a pre-operative six month medically supervised diet. This is the single biggest hold up for obtaining insurance approval and scheduling surgery. Visit your primary care provider and start your diet as soon as possible. If your provider has questions or if you would like to have the New Life Center supervise your diet, please call us at (865) 694–9676.
The average hospital stay is one night for Adjustable Gastric Band surgery, one to two nights for Sleeve Gastrectomy, two nights for the Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass and two to three nights for the BPD with Duodenal Switch.
For sedentary, office-style work, patients can normally return to work in two to four weeks.
It remains in the abdomen and continues to produce digestive juices that empty into the intestines. The blood supply to it is very good, so it does not die or shrivel up. Your stomach continues to do almost everything that it normally does except serve as a reservoir to hold food.
Weight loss and diet will promote the production of gallstones. If a patient has previously or currently suffers from gallstones; the gallbladder will most likely be removed at the time of your weight loss surgery.
A small percentage (15%) of patients develop gallstones after the weight loss surgery and may need gallbladder removal. The gallbladder can almost always be removed laparoscopically in this situation.
Yes, females can become pregnant after the surgery without any related complications. Thousands of women have successful pregnancies after the gastric-bypass surgery. We recommended that you use birth control after weight loss surgery because women’s fertility can soar after weight loss surgery because of a normalization of hormones in your body.
Many factors influence the need for skin reduction surgery, such as your starting weight, the amount of weight lost, location of the excess weight and age. Younger patients have a greater amount of skin elasticity and are less likely to need skin reduction surgery. Dr. Williams is experienced in post-bariatric surgery body contouring, including skin reduction for the abdomen and arms.
After your weight loss has stabilized and you are ready to consider skin reduction please call our office for an evaluation. Plastic surgery can be very expensive; however, Dr. Williams has been successful obtaining insurance coverage for these procedures for many of our patients.
Hear from some of our Bariatric Surgery Patients
Patient Stories
Billy
Gastric Sleeve Patient
Weight Loss: 115 Lbs.
Before Surgery: Billy had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, knee pain, and was a border-line diabetic. Exercise was very difficult and tiring.
After Surgery: Billy now walks 4-5 miles per day and can bench press his own body weight. He is taking less blood pressure medication and has thrown away his C-Pap machine.
“Don’t be scared! The health benefits of surgery are incredible. It’s life changing! I was surprised at how fast the weight came off. Before, I wore size 44 pants, now I wear a size 30! I highly recommend it!”
Debbie
Gastric Sleeve Patient
Weight Loss: 186 Lbs.
Before Surgery: Debbie couldn’t ride roller coasters, mow the yard, or get up from the floor without help.
After Surgery: She works out twice a day and is preparing to run her first 5K.
“Don’t step away from the program. Follow every direction they give you exactly, and you will be successful! Also, make sure you follow the recommendation not to drink before or during a meal.”
Jane Anne
Gastric Bypass Patient
Weight Loss: 114 Lbs.
Before Surgery: Jane Anne had diabetes and was insulin dependent. She also had trouble moving and walking. Being able to fit into airplane seats was problematic and embarrassing for Jane Anne.
After Surgery: Jane Anne immediately came off her diabetes medication after surgery. She now gardens, bikes, and can wear a two-piece bathing suit.
“It’s crazy how much socializing revolves around food. I had to rethink how I eat and socialize. The surgery is life-changing. I would do it again in a heartbeat!”
John
Duodenal Switch Patient
Weight Loss: 200 Lbs.
Before Surgery: John had high blood pressure, joint pain, back pain, knee pain, and trouble walking. He had no energy to play with his young children.
After Surgery: Billy is off his medication and now walks and exercises regularly. He loves having more energy and being able to play with his kids without getting tired.
“Once you get over the fear of having surgery, it will change your life. It’s been a 180 for me. I can do everything now. It’s changed my life!”
Melissa
Gastric Sleeve Patient
Weight Loss: 206 Lbs.
Before Surgery: Melissa had chronic pain, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea. She hated not being able to give her little daughter a bath.
After Surgery: She is very active now, constantly walking or hiking. Melissa can now ride any ride at Dollywood comfortably!
“Don’t wait! Don’t second guess yourself about having bariatric surgery. It’s the best decision you’ll ever make!”
Chris
Duodenal Switch
Weight Loss: 100+ Lbs.
Before Surgery: Chris’ struggle with obesity started early and followed him from childhood into adulthood. “I’ve been overweight my whole life,” Creech says. “I was bullied when I was young, called names like ‘Porky.”
The unhealthy weight led to high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation (AFib) and sleep apnea.
After Surgery: With a weight loss of more than 100 pounds, Creech has experienced drastic changes in his life.
"My sleep apnea is pretty much gone and my heart health is way better now., I can climb stairs without getting out of breath. And getting in and out of the truck is so much easier,” Creech says. “My sexual health is way better, and I feel more confident in every aspect of life.”
Laura & JT
Gastric Sleeve Patients
Combined Weight Loss: 200+ Lbs.
Laura Before Surgery: Laura felt pressure on her knees and her back. She felt the emotional weight of anxiety and depression.
JT Before Surgery: JT could hardly keep up with his kids and didn’t want to die of a heart attack at 42 because of his lifestyle choices.
Laura After Surgery: Within two months of the procedure, she was off her medications for high blood pressure and cholesterol.
JT After Surgery: Since undergoing the gastric sleeve procedure in March 2022, he’s lost more than 100 additional pounds, putting the number on the scales at 10 pounds less than what he weighed in high school.
“I’m able to do so much that I couldn’t do before,” JT says. “It feels amazing!”
“Honestly, I feel like a new person,” Laura says. “I told my husband we should renew our vows, because we are kind of new people.”
World-Class treatment, right in Knoxville, TN
Covenant Health Bariatric Services is specially designed for the obese individual. Dr. Williams and Dr. Colquitt and their staffs are dedicated to providing a welcoming environment where you can expect to be cared for with dignity and respect by a team that is sensitive to your needs.
- Fill in our quick form
- A care coordinator will contact you by phone during normal business hours.
- We’ll take the time to listen and plan the next steps
A care coordinator will contact you by phone during normal business hours.