Surgical Weight Control

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 39 percent of U.S. adults 20 years and older are obese and about nine percent are extremely obese. With obesity comes a higher risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea, digestive diseases, orthopedic disorders and an increased risk of death from some cancers. Obesity also has a harmful effect on your self-image, relationships, lifestyle and activity level. If you are overweight, losing as little as five percent of your body weight may lower your risk of experiencing these negative health effects, and help you feel better— both physically and emotionally.

Your Surgeons

Surgeon Blaine Nease, MD, FACS

After experiencing a close family member's lifelong weight-loss journey, Blaine Nease, MD, FACS, understands that successful weight loss requires, first and foremost— a strong personal commitment. Dr. Nease is the medical director of Cabell Huntington Hospital's Center for Surgical Weight Control and has over 20 years of experience as a bariatric surgeon. He emphasizes that bariatric surgery is not a cure, but simply a tool for his patients to use as they make lifestyle changes that are necessary to support and maintain weight loss. In addition to surgery, his practice incorporates key components for the best possible outcomes, such as continuing education and long-term support.

Surgeon Semeret Munie, MD

Semeret Munie, MD, FACS, is fellowship-trained to provide comprehensive weight loss surgery to patients with morbid obesity using a minimally invasive approach. Her fellowship training also includes minimally invasive anti-reflux and foregut surgery as well as repair of simple and complex abdominal wall hernias. Dr. Munie has additional fellowship training in surgical critical care managing patients in the intensive care unit. She is currently holding surgical weight control seminars to provide the tools you need to make an informed decision regarding your weight loss journey.

Your Center

The Center for Surgical Weight Control at Cabell Huntington Hospital is designated as a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence by the American Society of Bariatric Surgery (ASBS).

After meeting stringent quality criteria, it has also been designated as a Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery®, which helps consumers identify facilities that meet quality-focused criteria at national and local levels. The Center for Surgical Weight Control is also accredited by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP), which required independent, voluntary and rigorous peer evaluation in accordance with nationally recognized bariatric surgical standards. The Center regularly reports bariatric surgical outcomes data to the MBSAQIP Database, and benchmarks itself against other bariatric surgery centers to ensure that outcomes are aligned with national standards.

Dr. Nease is committed to providing a full-team approach for weight loss surgery patients. From the day you inquire about our weight loss program to the follow-up after your surgery, the staff will assist you in learning about your surgery and understanding your lifestyle afterward. You will learn the benefits and risks, and the staff will assist you in getting the best start possible and preparing you to adopt and maintain a healthier lifestyle. You are the most important member of the team. To ensure your success, you must be committed to changing old behaviors and completely dedicated to following through for the rest of your life.

Getting Started

The first step in becoming a patient at the Center for Surgical Weight Control is to attend a seminar. All seminars are presented at the Center for Surgical Weight Control by board-certified surgeon and center director Blaine Nease, MD, FACS. He gives a detailed description as well as the associated risks and benefits of each procedure he performs, including gastric bypass, adjustable gastric band, duodenal switch, Orbera intragastric balloon and sleeve gastrectomy. The presentation is followed by a general question-and-answer session and individual questions if time allows. To sign up for a seminar, please call 304.399.4118.