Best Bariatric Surgeons in New Orleans, Louisiana

Dr. Michael Thomas is a highly-skilled and compassionate bariatric surgeon. He has spent more than 10 years helping Louisianians lose weight surgically. Dr. Thomas is particularly interested in research to further improve the effectiveness and safety of surgical weight loss procedures, and is a Primary Investigator on the new incision-less surgical weight loss procedure called POSE.Dr. Michael Thomas has been featured as an expert in bariatric surgery in several publications including New Orleans Magazine’s Top Doctors, The Times Picayune, WWL TV Medical News Stories, M.D. News, Inside Northside Magazine and IN Business.Dr. Thomas has extensive experience and is skilled in advanced laparoscopic procedures. He is a partner of the Surgical Specialists of LA, one of the largest and most experienced practices in the country, having performed over 6,000 bariatric procedures. He also is a National Proctor for the LAP-BAND system, vertical sleeve gastrectomy, and Realize banding system.

Dr. Amanda Fontenot attended Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, and completed her residency in internal medicine at Ochsner Medical Center in 2008. She has been on staff with Ochsner since 2008 with the Ochsner West Bank primary care center and started her education in obesity medicine with the American Society of Bariatric Physicians in 2010. She gained diplomate status with the American Board of Obesity Medicine in March of 2014. Dr. Fontenot has always had an interest in health and fitness, working as a fitness instructor and personal trainer while in college and medical school. Once in practice, Dr. Fontenot could see the need for more definitive advice and treatment plans to help patients struggling with their weight and the health consequences they faced because of it. In her words, “Obesity medicine has become a rewarding practice for helping patients to change their health and their lives. I help to form individualized diet and exercise plans, prescribe medications, and help to manage pre- and post-op patients, while using evidence-based practices, with compassion and empathy.

Clark G. Warden, MD, JD, FACS, FASMBS is a native New Orleanian and a graduate of De La Salle High School. He attended Tulane University and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering in 1980. After earning his medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine, he completed a residency in General Surgery at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. He attained board certification in general surgery and began the private practice of general, vascular and thoracic surgery on the Mississippi Gulf Coast in the summer of 1989.

Dr. Bergstedt completed his Internal Medicine residency at Ochsner. He studied medicine and received his Bachelors, Summa Cum Laude, from Louisiana State University.Dr. Matthew Ryan Bergstedt, MD is a health care provider primarily located in New Orleans, LA. He has 14 years of experience. His specialties include Hospital Medicine. He speaks English and German.

Todd Miller, MD, is an interventional cardiologist at Ascension Saint Thomas Heart Midtown in Nashville, Tennessee specializing in heart catheterization and minimally invasive heart care. He performs procedures to restore blood flow to the heart. He starts by listening to understand you and your health concerns. He works with our multidisciplinary cardiologists to create a care plan that's right for you. Our cardiovascular specialists are part of an integrated, national network of heart care, sharing best practices and offering evaluation and treatment of the most complex heart conditions.

Dr. Lavin is a pioneer and innovator in the field of bariatric surgery. Dr. Lavin founded Surgical Specialists of Louisiana in 2000 developing it to become one of the leading surgical weight loss programs in the United States as well as a medical-tourism destination for patients worldwide. He is one of the leading experts in the development of incisionless and minimally invasive weight loss procedures, techniques and instruments.