Thursday, January 6, 2022
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Bariatric surgery is becoming more common and is a safe and effective way to treat obesity. At UT Health San Anotnio our physicians are partenering to not only provide bariatric and metabolic surgeries but the care and supportive services patients may need following their procedures. Learn how our plastic surgery department helps patients with excess skin following weight loss from bariatric surgery.
Read the full article from SA Women
Richard Peterson, M.D.
Dr. Richard Peterson obtained his Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in biology from the University of California, Riverside. He then went on to obtain a Masters in Public Health (MPH) at the East Stroudsburg University in East Stroudsburg, PA. He obtained his MD degree from the American University of the Caribbean. He completed his General Surgery residency at St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, MD. He then went on to pursue a fellowship in Advanced Laparoscopic and Bariatric Surgery at the University of Southern California with world-renowned laparoscopic surgeon Dr. Namir Katkhouda. This training has made him one of a select few surgeons who perform a completely hand-sewn laparoscopic gastric bypass.
Following the completion of his training he entered into Active Duty service with the United States Air Force. He served two combat tours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. During his time in the Air Force, Dr. Peterson served as Chief of Bariatric and Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery at Wilford Hall Medical Center. He expanded the program to be the largest bariatric surgery program in the Department of Defense. He also served as the Consultant to the Air Force Surgeon General on Bariatrics during this time. Dr. Peterson was recently selected by his fellow physicians as one of San Antonio's Best Doctors. Dr. Peterson is fluent in Spanish, enjoys running and resides in San Antonio with his wife and two children.
Charles Anton Fries, M.D.
Dr. Anton Fries is interim division chief and assistant professor for the Division of Plastic Surgery at UT Health San Antonio. He received his medical degree from the University of Cambridge and served for 20 years as a medical officer in the Royal Navy. He retired at the rank of Surgeon Commander, having deployed across the globe, including two combat tours in Afghanistan. During his plastic surgery residency, he performed pre-clinical research at the United States Army Institute of Surgical Research in San Antonio and was awarded the international master’s degree in reconstructive microsurgery from Chang Gung University, Taipei. In Taipei, he also completed his microsurgical fellowship, which included training in lymphatic super-microsurgery, complex head and neck reconstruction and hand transplantation. On completion of his training, he was appointed to the faculty of Oxford University Hospitals in the UK, where he continued his work in reconstructive transplantation. After working in Oxford for two years he was appointed as assistant professor at UT Health San Antonio. He has published over 60 peer-reviewed research papers and book chapters and won several research awards, particularly relating to reconstructive tissue transplantation. His clinical interests are in microvascular reconstruction, including lymphatic super-microsurgery, cosmetic surgery and surgery of the hand. He is Surgical Advisor to the charity Operation Restore Hope and has completed 6 annual surgical missions to the Philippines to perform cleft lip and palate surgeries.