
Our Weight-Loss Team is Ready to Help
Losing weight can be difficult, and if diet and exercise aren’t working, surgical or medical weight loss may be the right choice for you.
For decades, our AdventHealth Tampa bariatric specialists have provided highly personalized weight-loss care to our community. We work in unison with the AdventHealth Bariatric and Metabolic Institute to offer comprehensive medical weight loss, as well as minimally invasive and robotic-assisted bariatric surgical procedures.
No matter where you are in your weight-loss journey, our team of highly trained obesity and metabolic specialists, navigators, nutritionists and exercise physiologists are ready to help you achieve your goals.
Types of Bariatric Surgery Our Team Offers
Despite their best efforts, many people struggle to achieve a healthy weight through diet and exercise. But you’re not alone, and our team is here to help. Working with the AdventHealth Bariatric and Metabolic Institute, we offer the latest surgical weight-loss surgery procedures to help you achieve your goals. Our advanced procedures can offer faster healing times, minimal scarring and a quicker return to the life you love.
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Minimally Invasive Surgery
Our team offers the most advanced robotic-assisted and laparoscopic procedures, which mean fewer incisions, less scarring and a faster recovery for you.
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Gastric Sleeve
Gastric sleeve has become a popular option since it doesn’t involve bypassing the small intestine and has minimal long-term complications.
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Gastric Bypass
Gastric bypass reduces the size of the stomach to one or two ounces to reroute food away from the stomach into the first part of the small intestine.
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Revisions and Conversions
For people who had bariatric surgery that wasn't successful, we offer lap band revisions, which modifies an original procedure, or conversions, which replaces the procedure with a new solution.
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Lap Band Evaluations
You may be a candidate for a lap band evaluation if you feel you didn’t meet your goal of losing weight and keeping it off, want to understand why your weight-loss procedure hasn't worked as you thought it would, or would like to talk over options with a team of professionals.
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Orbera® Intragastric Balloon System
We were the first hospital in Tampa to offer Orbera, a non-surgical solution. The Orbera balloon helps reinforce portion control by limiting the amount of food the stomach can hold.
Meet Your Bariatric Team

Michel Murr, MD
Bariatric Surgeon
Medical Director, AdventHealth Bariatric and Metabolic Institute

John Gonzalvo, DO
Bariatric Surgeon
Bariatric Surgery Options for Adolescents
If your teen hasn’t found success with weight loss for severe obesity, bariatric surgery can help them lose weight and gain better health when combined with lifestyle changes.
We are honored to be an MBSAQIP Accredited Center – Comprehensive Center with Adolescent Qualifications. This important accreditation demonstrates our commitment to safe, quality patient care.
We know that choosing weight-loss surgery for your child is not a decision you make lightly. Our evaluation process is extensive, and your involvement as a parent or guardian is essential and required.
We also require a six-month preparatory program to ensure you and your teen get all the information you need and that, as a family, you can demonstrate the changes required for long-term success.

Medical Weight Loss for Whole Health
We can help you manage your whole health by helping you manage your weight.
Our intensive medical weight loss program combines behavior, lifestyle and nutrition changes in a physician-supervised setting that helps patients reach and maintain their weight.
Our multifaceted approach may include interventions like nutrition counseling, meal replacements, physical activity, behavioral health support and, if appropriate, medication and collaboration with bariatric surgery.
We Can Help You Reach Your Goals
To determine if surgical weight loss is right for you, we’ll consider factors like your age, medical history, previous attempts at losing weight, related health conditions and your body mass index (BMI).
You may be a candidate for bariatric surgery if you:
- Are at least 18 years of age
- Have a BMI of 40 (approximately 100 pounds over ideal body weight for men and 80 pounds over ideal body weight for women) or a BMI of 35 or above, with an associated condition like diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea or obesity-related heart disease
- Have previously attempted weight loss in a program supervised by a physician, dietitian or nutritionist
- Are willing to commit to long-term follow-up care, as well as life-long changes in eating, exercise and lifestyle necessary to maintain weight loss after surgery

Join Our Support Groups
Our AdventHealth Bariatric and Metabolic Institute offers virtual support services to patients preparing for surgery as well as those who have already undergone a bariatric procedure in our program.
We offer support groups, preoperative, nutrition and fitness classes (Wellness in Motion) all taught by our expert teams. We encourage participation, so ask the questions that will help you prepare for your new journey.
No matter where you live — or which AdventHealth program your surgeon is affiliated with — you can attend our virtual classes and support groups at any location.
Serving You With Award-Winning Care
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Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP)
MBSAQIP is a comprehensive, nationwide surgical quality program that aims to ensure safe and effective metabolic and bariatric surgery.
Surgical outcomes focus on weight loss and the treatment of obesity-related diseases like diabetes and sleep apnea. Research shows accredited centers experience lower complications and better outcomes than non-accredited facilities.
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Member of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS)
Our bariatric surgeons are members of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).
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Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Distinction® Center
AdventHealth Tampa is recognized as a Blue Distinction® Center for bariatric surgical care by Blue Cross Blue Shield for providing safe, effective care and delivering better outcomes for the community.
Hear What Our Patients Are Saying
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Dawn Thiel's Story

Brian Greene's Story

Martin Ellis' Story

Terry Rose's Story

April Walkenhurst's Story
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You Deserve to Feel Like Yourself Again
Our expert team of bariatric and weight care specialists is here to help you achieve a healthier life, and you can count on us to help you overcome any roadblocks with the support you deserve. We're here to be your coach — and biggest cheerleader — on the way to success.