SMMC Weight Loss Surgery and Weight Management Program

SMMC is Recognized as a Center of Excellence with Accreditation from the American College of Surgeons

The Weight Loss Surgery and Weight Management program is a cooperative effort by Southern Maine Medical Center to provide patients with obesity access to advanced approaches to weight loss by either (bariatric) surgery or weight management. Nearly 300,000 Americans die each year as a result of obesity-related complications. Type 2 adult onset diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea are a few of the complications of obesity that may resolve completely with weight loss. Other health issues such as asthma, low-back pain, urinary stress incontinence and severe acid reflux may also affect quality of life. Significant weight loss can often ease these conditions or reverse them completely.

Over 50 percent of American adults are overweight, and roughly 15 million are severely overweight. Severe obesity is defined as people who are greater than 100 pounds over their ideal body weight for their height. For the majority of these people medical therapies such as dieting, change in eating behaviors or drugs have resulted in temporary weight loss often with regaining of that weight and more. Severe obesity can be treated surgically and is a recommended treatment by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Many of our patients have resolution of these complications after the surgery.

Southern Maine Medical Center’s Weight Loss Surgery program offers weight management counseling as well as two surgical procedures. The two surgeries are the laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, as well as laparoscopic gastric banding.

There are monthly information sessions and ongoing preoperative and post-operative support groups. The weight management program includes nutrition and lifestyle education, and includes nutrition counseling, physical therapy and psychological counseling.

Where can I learn more?
SMMC's Weight Loss Surgery team conducts free educational seminars at SMMC every month. We encourage patients to bring their support partner to the information session as well. These sessions are conducted on:

• Second Wednesday of each month - 6:00 to 7:00pm - Second floor classrooms at SMMC (2013: February 13; March 13; April 10; May 8; June 12; July 10; August 14; September 11; October 9; November 6; December 11)

Additionally, SMMC hosts a Weight Loss Surgery Support Group on the 3rd Wednesday of each month from 6-7:00pm.

For more information, call us at 207-284-2630.