St. Luke’s Bariatric Surgeon Presents Research

Maher El Chaar, MD

Dr. Maher El Chaar, St. Luke's bariatric surgery fellowship director and co-medical director of bariatric surgery, was recently recognized by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) for his research into the safety and outcomes of bariatric surgery patients.

El Chaar used the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program database to review revisional – or follow-up –  bariatric surgeries. This first-of-its-kind study of more than 150,000 patients was presented at an ACS convention in New York City, during an exclusive session for distinguished research work on the safety of surgical patients. 

“I want to thank everybody for the continuous support,” El Chaar said. “These kind of achievements and milestones cannot be realized without teamwork and the team’s ongoing dedication and commitment to our program, including students, residents and fellows.”

St. Luke’s University Health Network’s Bariatric Surgery program – the only one in the Lehigh Valley with a bariatric fellowship – is an accredited center by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program, an organization dedicated to reviewing standards and the accreditation process for surgical weight loss programs. As the regional leader in bariatric surgery, St. Luke's performs up to 450 bariatric procedures annually, or nearly the same as the Cleveland Clinic.