The Brain and Spine Institute is made up of experts in the field of neuroscience in order to bring patients the best healthcare in East Tennessee for a full range of neurological diseases and disorders.
myClipboard
myClipboard
Save news, events, articles and doctor's information to your personal clipboard for later reference.
Add items by clicking the 
button.
Create an account
Centers of Excellence
-
-
We provide a comprehensive continuum of cancer services, including prevention, outreach, diagnostic, treatment and support services delivered by our highly skilled staff with compassion and care.
-
The Center for Women & Children's Health is a hub for supporting women's and children's individual healthcare needs. The center provides support, research and unmatched patient-centered care.
-
Emergency and Trauma Services is the only Level I Trauma Center in the area and serves as the tertiary referral center for medical care in East Tennessee, serving Knox County and 21 surrounding counties.
-
The Heart Lung Vascular Institute brings together expertise in clinical care, teaching and research. Patients receive exceptional healthcare combined with patient-centered care.
Share
Print
Available Services
Available Weight Loss Services at UT Medical Center
If you have been looking for your options for weight loss Knoxville has the center for you. The Tennessee Weight Loss & Surgery Center experts tailor a weight loss program that will meet your individual needs, which may include bariatric surgery; non-surgical medical weight loss options; and medically supervised meal replacement, exercise and lifestyle modification programs.*
Always check with your insurance company and human resources to find out if weight loss surgery is covered under insurance.
Medical Weight Loss
For patients that do not meet the criteria for surgery but require other obesityhelp, other medical weight-loss options may be available. These include medications, meal replacements and/or behavioral modifications–all provided under medical supervision. You can receive obesity help by registering to see one of our Knoxville medical weight-loss specialists by calling 865.305.WELL (9355).
Research
The University of Tennessee in Knoxville and its research expertise have ongoing research activities related to obesity and weight loss. If you choose, you may be a candidate to participate in one of the ongoing studies such as new medications or weight-loss regimens. The university maintains the highest academic standard and complies with all FDA and NIH research regulations.
Weight-Loss Surgery
For patients that meet the criteria for bariatric surgery, there are two minimally invasive procedures available: laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery and laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding.
Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass Surgery
Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass Surgery is a minimally invasive bariatric surgical procedure. Surgeons make smaller incisions so there is less pain, faster recovery time and fewer complications than traditional surgery. The surgeon sections off a portion of the stomach and re-routes part of the small intestine to the smaller section of the stomach. Typically, a patient returns home after two days in the hospital.
Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding
Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding reduces the stomach capacity and restricts the amount of food that can be eaten at one time. A prosthetic ring is placed around the upper part of the stomach and creates a smaller stomach pouch that can hold only a small amount of food and prolongs the feeling of fullness. The tightness of the ring can be adjusted by injecting saline into a small port that lies just under the skin. Patients typically spend one day in the hospital for this procedure.
Sleeve Gastrectomy
Sleeve gastrectomy is a restrictive bariatric surgery. During this procedure, the surgeon creates a small, sleeve-shaped stomach. It is larger than the stomach pouch created during Roux-en-Y bypass. It inititially was performed as the first part of a two stage operation for patients with a BMI >60. Sleeve gastrectomy patients experienced resolution rates for type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obstructive sleep apnea that were similar to resolution rates for other restrictive procedures such as gastric banding.
As with any surgery, these bariatric surgery procedures carry risks and possible side effects, but the amount of weight loss can be significant and dramatic. If you meet the requirements, many health insurance providers will cover the cost of weight-loss surgery.
*The HMR Program for Weight Management™ is affiliated with the Tennessee Weight Loss & Surgery Center.