Dr. Awad, Edna Parayno, Jackeline Gutierrez, and Natalie Amoroso.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ETHAN KAMINSKY
The decision to undergo bariatric surgery is never made lightly. Individuals exploring their options for surgical and medical weight loss naturally want the very best care. They find it when they put themselves in the very capable hands of Dr. Ramy A. Awad, M.D., F.A.S.M.B.S., who specializes in minimally invasive advanced robotic bariatric surgery.
“Dr. Awad has the hands of an angel. He’s truly a professional and takes care of you throughout the entire process,” says Desert Hot Springs resident Jose Morales. The 35-year old Morales underwent gastric sleeve surgery in 2018 and today carries a comfortable 225 pounds on his six-foot-one frame. Having tipped close to 400 pounds at one point, he appreciates no longer suffering from hypertension, high cholesterol or being at risk of developing diabetes. “I can keep up with my kids now!” he adds, mindful of setting a good example.
Known for exemplary patient care and safety, Dr. Awad quelled any nervousness Morales might have felt prior to surgery. “He said don’t worry, I’ve got you. And by the next day, I was out of the hospital and walking around. My pain was minimal. I didn’t experience much at all!” Advanced technology permits Dr. Awad to offer robotic options for minimally invasive surgical weight loss, which translates into shorter hospital stays and less post-operative pain. Robotics also grant him greater surgical dexterity, precision in suturing, precise wristed instrumentation and 3D visualization.
Board certified and a Fellow of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, Dr. Awad’s robotic services include gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, LAP-BAND® and duodenal switch. The practice also offers revisional surgery for patients who’ve had prior weight loss surgery and experienced weight regain or non-resolution of their medical problems. “My program offers a multi-disciplinary approach to surgery which involves a dietician, a psychologist, a nurse practitioner and personal trainer.” Patients have access to support groups, exercise classes but most significantly, lifelong aftercare. With excellent outcomes well above the national average, Dr. Awad constantly pursues the most advanced surgical options and techniques for his patients.
Dr. Awad has been named a top bariatric surgeon for nine consecutive years.
As a nurse working in the bariatric unit at Desert Regional Medical Center for years, Theresa McCarthy has witnessed first-hand the advances robotics have made in the field of bariatric surgery. “These procedures have evolved and become so minimally invasive. Our patients do well, have great outcomes and go home within 24 hours,” she says. In fact, after being in denial about her own weight problem for years, McCarthy finally felt confident enough to undergo a procedure herself. Dr. Awad performed her vertical sleeve gastrectomy in 2018. “I’d always been heavy, but I didn’t have a lot of problems until I hit age 50. Then my blood pressure and my cholesterol level started going up, I had aches and pains and was unable to climb stairs."
Today the 59-year-old McCarthy goes about her nursing duties, having shed 100 pounds and multiple health problems. “I’m no longer pre-diabetic. My blood pressure is perfect because I’m able to walk and move and hike. I can climb stairs between floors at work!”
Dr. Awad is a skilled minimal invasive surgeon, utilizing cutting edge surgical techniques.
Consistently selected as one of America’s top doctors and voted by his peers as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor, Dr. Awad is the bariatric director at Desert Regional Medical Center. He maintains privileges at all three Valley hospitals and his patients rate him among the top one percent of the country’s physicians as a Vitals Top Ten Doctor. In addition to his focus on bariatrics and the profound health improvements such surgery bestows, Dr. Awad’s training encompasses a wide range of general surgical procedures including hernia, gall bladder and cancer-related cases. “Dr. Awad gave me my life back,” says McCarthy. “It’s the best gift I ever gave myself. I have so much energy now. I sometimes kick myself for not doing it sooner!”
Desert Surgical & Bariatric Specialists
555 E. Tachevah Drive, Suite 3W-105
Palm Springs, CA 92262
760-866-0024
desertbariatrics.com