Our surgeons use leading edge technology to perform innovative bariatric, general and colorectal surgeries designed to help patients achieve a healthier life.
Hernia Surgery
Hernias are simply a hole or defect in the wall of the abdominal cavity that allows protrusion of an organ or abdominal content through it. The fascia is a thick layer of tissue that keeps the contents of the abdomen in place. There are certain areas of the abdominal wall which are considered sites of weakness, these are inguinal, femoral and umbilical areas. The groin represents the area where approximately 75% of hernias develop.
Whether due to excess abdominal strain, age, genetics or congenital disorders, this tissue can weaken and intestinal contents may begin to push through. Most commonly, fatty tissue and loops of large intestine may push into, and ultimately become trapped in, the hernia defect.
GERD (Anti-Reflux Surgery)
Gastroesophageal reflux occurs when gastric juices from the stomach push up into the esophagus, irritating its sensitive lining. Gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD is the medical term for chronic acid reflux – reflux that occurs several times per week for several weeks or months. GERD is estimated to affect upwards of 20 million Americans with millions more suffering from less frequent, but still significant, acid reflux symptoms.
GERD can occur due to intra-abdominal pressure that puts strain on the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), a muscle that acts much like a valve to keep stomach fluids where they belong. LES dysfunction can be treated with several options from lifestyle change and losing weight to surgical procedures like fundoplication or LINX Reflux Management System
Colorectal Surgery
Colorectal surgery is the subspecialty of general surgery that deals with diseases and conditions of the large intestine (also known as the colon), the rectum, and the anus. Colorectal diseases including cancer have become more prevalent in modern society, in part due to poor diets and the sedentary lifestyles most of us live. It is estimated that obese patients have a significantly higher risk of colon and rectal cancer than patients within a normal BMI.
Treatment for colorectal disorders varies based on the condition and its severity. Some concerns can be treated effectively with lifestyle changes while others may need surgery. Most importantly, you can take care of your colon by getting enough daily fiber, and staying well hydrated throughout the day, unless otherwise advised by your colorectal surgeon.
Gallbladder Disease
Typically, patients with symptomatic gallbladder disease begin to feel pain – whether dull or sharp – in the upper right quadrant of their abdomen, just under the rib cage. Gallstone issues are also characterized by an increase in pain shortly after eating. After consulting with a physician, a preliminary diagnosis typically requires a medical history and is confirmed with a simple ultrasound.
The most common symptomatic gallbladder disease involves gallstones that have blocked the outflow of bile. Gallstone attacks tend to worsen over time and as such, gallbladder removal, or cholecystectomy, is the preferred curative option. Gallbladder removal is one of the safest and most commonly performed surgical procedures in the United States.
Weight Loss Surgery
Weight loss surgery is the most effective long-term weight loss option for those suffering from morbid obesity, especially patients with a BMI over 40. While new GLP-1 agonist medications have shown promise in patients with relatively lower BMIs, weight loss surgery remains a relatively cost-effective option to help patients change their lives over the long term.
From sleep apnea to hypertension (high blood pressure) and hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol), metabolic surgery results in exceptional excess weight loss, averaging between 60 and 90% depending on the procedure. Resolution of co-morbid conditions is exceptional as well. MASJAX offers gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and duodenal switch as our main surgical interventions for obesity.
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Meet Our Team
Our surgical program has a dedicated team to follow you every step of the way. Your multi-disciplinary team includes surgeons, (bariatric) nurses, dietitians, mental health professionals, exercise specialists, bariatric advocates and other medical specialists who offer continuous compassionate support and guidance in a respectful environment.
The focus is to help each patient establish and achieve their goals.
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Cutting Through the Weight Loss Hype
The weight loss solution that works depends on your health history and lifestyle preferences. While some find success with non-surgical programs, others will gain the most benefit from a surgical procedure. So, how do you choose?
Updated for 2026
Most diet and exercise programs fail to deliver long-term results on their own, even if a lot of weight is lost in the short term. 5 or 10 years out, you might be back at square one.
When prospective patients start their bariatric surgery research, it can get confusing…fast.
We also know that living with excess weight, especially morbid obesity, is not sustainable and is the fast track toward many serious follow-on diseases. So, how do we figure out what works and what doesn’t, and, most importantly, the best option for your particular circumstance?
Non-Surgical Versus Surgical Weight Loss
One of the first decisions we have to make revolves around the mechanism for losing weight.
Non-surgical weight loss, in the form of physician-supervised weight loss programs or weight loss medication, has some proven effectiveness. With behavioral interventions alone, patients can see between 5% and 10% reduction in weight, and with medications like GLP-1 Receptor Agonists (GLP-1 RAs), some will see weight loss of 8% to 21%1 – but only as long as they continue the program. This is where non-surgical weight loss often fails: only a small number of people are able to maintain their weight after they discontinue it.
Does this mean that surgical weight loss is the appropriate course of action for everyone with excess weight? No, not at all. There are well-established guidelines for patients to qualify for weight loss surgery. Having a BMI of 30 or over with one or more diseases associated with morbid obesity (or failed GLP-1 therapy), or a BMI of 35 or over regardless of diseases associated with morbid obesity, may qualify an individual based on new ASMBS and IFSO guidelines, though insurance coverage may vary. Even more importantly, the patient has to be a suitable candidate for surgery. There are anesthesia-related and other risks inherent in major abdominal surgery. The benefits of surgery must outweigh these risks.
With that being said, weight loss surgery is currently the only proven long-term solution to morbid obesity. Approximately 70% of all patients who undergo weight-loss surgery will maintain their weight loss over the course of 10 or more years.2 Modern surgical techniques have also made bariatric surgery safer than ever, with risks similar to those of a simple gallbladder removal.
Are All Bariatric Surgeries the Same? Which Is Best?
If you have decided that weight loss surgery may be right for you, the decision becomes even tougher – which bariatric procedure is best?
Luckily, you will have the team here at MASJax to help you with that decision, but you’re the one who ultimately makes it, and it is a tough one nonetheless. Depending on a patient’s specific medical needs, one procedure may be better suited than another. For example, gastric bypass is usually most beneficial for those suffering from poorly controlled diabetes or severe acid reflux. In fact, the gastric sleeve can cause acid reflux or worsen existing reflux. However, both the bypass and sleeve are very effective for long-term weight loss as well as improving or eliminating many of the diseases associated with excess weight and obesity.
There are two popular procedures that we rarely, if ever, recommend. First is the Lap-Band, or adjustable gastric band. This is a band that wraps around the upper portion of the stomach and makes the patient feel full with less food. While it was a very popular procedure a couple decades ago, and is the only procedure that is fully reversible and adjustable, the long-term complications are simply too great for us to look past, and we no longer recommend the band. In fact, many of the revisional bariatric procedures we perform today involve removing the gastric band and converting it to a stapled procedure such as gastric bypass or gastric sleeve.
The other procedure that we do not recommend is the nonsurgical gastric balloon. During this procedure, an inflatable balloon is inserted into the stomach using endoscopy – a non-surgical technique that threads a specially made tube down the esophagus to place the balloon. The balloon is then filled with saline, occupying space in the stomach and making the patient feel full. The balloon is left in the stomach for 6 months, and the patient undergoes a concurrent 1-year medical weight-loss program supervised by their bariatric surgeon or gastroenterologist. At the end of six months, the balloon is removed.
Not only is the balloon option less effective than surgery, since it does not remain in the stomach permanently, but most insurance plans do not cover it, meaning patients pay a significant amount out of pocket. If they later regain weight, they have to have yet another balloon placed in their stomach, once again paid for out of pocket.
A Note on Going Overseas for Bariatric Surgery
There are many enticing advertisements for bariatric surgeries performed in other countries at a fraction of the price. While many patients choose to take this path, there are some significant potential drawbacks.
Surgeons, clinical staff, and facilities overseas may not be held to the same standards as those in the United States. If complications should occur, many surgeons in the United States will not touch a procedure performed overseas. There are many unknowns about how the surgery was performed, and, more often than not, patients will have to return to their original surgeon to address non-emergency complications.
The Bottom Line
Ultimately, the decision to have bariatric surgery is a life-changing one and should be treated with the importance and seriousness that it deserves. When considering bariatric surgery, we always suggest that our patients keep an open mind and discuss their options with former patients, surgeons, and others with experience in the procedure they wish to undergo.
While cost is always a consideration, it should not be the driving factor for choosing a surgeon or facility. Finding surgeons who specialize in bariatric surgery and have performed hundreds, if not thousands, of the procedure you wish to undergo is one of the keys to a safer, more effective procedure with fewer complications.
We find that many of our patients benefit from attending one of our post-operative support groups, even before they decide that bariatric surgery is right for them. Attending a support group can help shed light on procedure options as well as having access to insight directly from patients who have experienced a wide range of physical and emotional ups and downs associated with bariatric surgery.
Located in Jacksonville, Florida, MASJax provides advanced bariatric and general surgery using minimally invasive and robotic techniques. Dr. Husain Abbas, Dr. Alex Crean, and Dr. Schlussel offer expert care for weight loss, metabolic disorders, colorectal conditions, GERD, gallbladder disease, and hernias, backed by more than 80 years of combined surgical experience.
- Ahmad, N., Alruwayyes, A., Alarjani, A., Tawhari, A., Aldosri, A., Alahmari, A., & Balaha, M. (2026). GLP-1 receptor agonists for weight loss: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Medicine, 105(11), e47994. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000047994.
- Gulinac, M., Miteva, D. G., Peshevska-Sekulovska, M., Novakov, I. P., Antovic, S., Peruhova, M., Snegarova, V., Kabakchieva, P., Assyov, Y., Vasilev, G., Sekulovski, M., Lazova, S., Tomov, L., & Velikova, T. (2023). Long-term effectiveness, outcomes and complications of bariatric surgery. World journal of clinical cases, 11(19), 4504–4512. https://doi.org/10.12998/wjcc.v11.i19.4504.