Weight Loss Solutions | Saint Francis Introduces Bariatric Surgery


CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Saint Francis Medical Center is pleased to announce that Weight Loss Solutions is now open. Led by Cape Girardeau native and general surgeon Ryan Andrew LeGrand, MD, this program offers multiple options in bariatric surgery for people who struggle with ongoing weight problems and are seriously considering a lasting lifestyle change.

“With the recent opening of Weight Loss Solutions, Saint Francis Medical Center continues to expand its services and deepen its commitment to the healthcare needs of Southeast Missouri,” says Steven C. Bjelich, FACHE-D, President and Chief Executive Officer at Saint Francis. “With Dr. LeGrand at the helm, this bariatric surgery center should be a leading choice for people seeking surgical options to control their weight.”

Weight Loss Solutions offers the following three weight-loss surgery options:

1. Sleeve Gastrectomy: In this procedure, a thin, vertical sleeve of stomach is created and the rest of the stomach is removed. This limits the amount of food you can eat and helps you feel full sooner.

2. Gastric Banding: A reversible procedure, adjustable gastric banding reduces the stomach’s capacity and restricts the amount of food it can consume, without cutting or stapling. This option helps patients lose weight by making them feel full faster and longer.

3. Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass: In this procedure, a small portion of the stomach is sewn or stapled together to make a small pouch (roughly the size of an egg) to limit food intake. It also bypasses part of the intestines to reduce calorie absorption.

LeGrand received his medical degree from of Missouri School of Medicine in Columbia, Mo. He completed his general surgery residency at University of Louisville School of Medicine in Louisville, Ky., and his bariatric/minimally invasive surgery fellowship at SSM Weight-Loss Institute at DePaul Health Center in St. Louis. He is eager to transform the lives of residents in the community where he grew up.

Weight Loss Solutions is located on the Saint Francis Medical Center campus, 211 Saint Francis Drive, Cape Girardeau. To schedule a consultation or for more information, call 573-331-3993.

Saint Francis is a 280-bed facility serving more than 650,000 people throughout Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas. Guided by our mission to provide a ministry of healing and wellness inspired by our Christian philosophy and values, we have become a progressive, innovative regional tertiary care referral center. Our major service lines, which have received national recognition, include the Neurosciences Institute; Thomas G. Otto, MD, Orthopedic Institute; Family BirthPlace, featuring the region’s first Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; Heart Hospital; Gene E. Huckstep Emergency and Trauma Center with Convenient Care; Cancer Institute; and Fitness Plus. Last July, Saint Francis opened its 208,000-square-foot combined Heart Hospital Cancer Institute, where patients have access to advanced treatments and technology ” under one convenient roof. Saint Francis is proud to be ranked on Modern Healthcare magazine’s prestigious Best Places to Work in Healthcare list for four years in row (2008-2011).


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