Comprehensive Obesity and Metabolic Center

The Comprehensive Obesity and Metabolic Center at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi provides individualized care for patients suffering from obesity and obesity-related complications. Our multidisciplinary center, led by Western-trained obesity medicine and surgical specialists, uses evidenced-based medical practice while utilizing advanced surgical techniques to manage obesity and improve the health and quality of life of patients.

We understand that weight loss is a unique journey for each and every individual. To support those struggling with obesity, our patient-centered approach treats each patient based on their individual needs and preferences and we offer a customized weight loss plan to suit the patient’s specific metabolic and physiologic condition, to optimize outcomes.

Our individualized plans are created by our team of experts to empower patients to take control of their life and adapt healthy lifestyle changes that will be a catalyst for achieving weight loss goals through medical and/or surgical methods.

Our Approach to Weight-Loss

Weight-loss treatments at the Comprehensive Obesity and Metabolic Center are provided within our two clinics:

Obesity Medicine Clinic:

Offering obesity medicine and lifestyle medicine which is focused on the 5 pillars of weight management: nutrition, exercise, appetite control, sleep and stress management. The clinic is led by our Internal Medicine Physician, who is American Board certified in Obesity Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine, in collaboration with a specialized Bariatric Surgeon and a team of obesity specialist nurses.

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Bariatric Surgery Clinic:

Offering surgical and advanced endoscopic (non-surgical) procedures, the clinic is run by our expert Bariatric Surgeons whose expertise ranges from first-time bariatric operations to complex revisional bariatric surgery for patients who have had weight loss operations in the past and either had a complication or did not get the results they hoped to achieve.

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At the Comprehensive Obesity and Metabolic Center, we treat the following patients diagnosed with obesity:

• Patients that qualify for bariatric surgery
• Patients who do not want, or do not qualify for, surgical management but who want to optimize their weight or need guidance with weight management.
• Post-bariatric surgery follow-up.
• Patients that need to lose weight before any planned surgery, like organ transplant surgery, hernia repair or joint surgeries either through medical or surgical approach or a combination of both.

When a patient is referred to the center, they can expect the following initial assessments:

• Intensive lifestyle intervention via frequent medical visits with our weight loss physicians and bariatric surgeons in addition to providing nutritional and/or behavioral counseling.
• Collection of detailed medical history including previous weight loss attempts, and physical or mental health issues.
• Assessment of medications that have potential to affect body weight (ordering appropriate blood work/endocrine work up as deemed necessary).
• Visit summation and treatment option formulation (medical vs surgical).
• Evaluation of expectations and level of commitment while addressing any concerns the patient may have.

Treatment with Obesity Medicine

Treatments and therapies provided within the Obesity Medicine Clinic include:

• Medical management with pharmacotherapy to educate patients about the potential risks, benefits and side effects along with continuous monitoring of the patient’s progress and adjustment to their regimen as needed.
• Nutritional evaluation and counseling, including nutritionist referral as part of lifestyle modifications and pre-op preparation.
• Counseling on the importance of physical activity and offering physical therapy referral for patients with limited physical activity and musculoskeletal limitations.
• Behavioral counseling and distribution of educational materials.
• Complete pre-operative evaluation to prepare for surgery, including optimizing medical management of co-morbidities before surgery to ensure the best outcomes.
• Multidisciplinary evaluation for bariatric patients with surgeons, a weight management physician, program coordinator nutritionist and psychiatrist.
• Optimizing weight for other surgeries like orthopedic, hernia repair, GI/colorectal surgeries and organ transplant.
• Post-operative medical management of vitamin deficiencies and medication adjustments as well as addressing sub-optimal weight loss and weight regain.

Treatment with Bariatric Surgery

Treatments provided within the Bariatric Surgery Clinic include:

• Intragastric balloon: An inflatable, implantable medical device placed in the stomach letting patients feel full faster.
• Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.
• Laparoscopic gastric bypass (Roux-en-Y gastric bypass).
• Single anastomosis duodeno-ileal bypass (SADI).
• Pancreatico-biliary bypass with Duodenal switch for extremely obese patients.
• Revisional bariatric surgery: Procedure for weight regain or poor weight loss that follows a previous bariatric surgery did not produce desired results or when complications develop from a previous weight loss surgery.
• Advanced endoscopic procedures: Includes endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (stitches made using a device inserted through the esophagus) as well as endoscopic management of surgical complications, like re-tightening the stomach pouch after bariatric surgery.