Taewan Kim Bariatric Surgeon M.D., F.A.C.S.
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My wife had surgery with Dr. Simon in January of 2009, she was placed with Dr. Taewan Kim for aftercare / followup. In December of 2010, having lost 100 pounds, she suddenly lost almost all ability to keep any food down. According to my research at several online sources including those of the NIH such a change is diagnostic for band slippage, something which is now known to be a fairly common event. My wife mentioned our concern to Dr. Kim who simply removed some fluid from her band. The event continued and he repeated the process in February. By March the symptoms had changed dramatically and my wife had both her appetite back and the ability to consume large quantities of food. She continued to request testing for the band slippage and Dr. Kim continued to ignore her requests. Finally in mid June a Barium swallow and upper GI series x-ray study was done. Yes, the band had slipped and surgery was scheduled. That took another two months. When Dr Simon did the surgery, the reason for the change in symptoms was apparent. The band had eroded into the stomach and then proceeded to disintegrate. Result, the laparoscopic lapband removal was abandoned and my wife was subjected to full open abdomen surgery. She then spent 5 1/2 days recovering in intensive care.
I have to think that this drastic event is a direct consequence of Dr. Kim's repeated refusal to request a simple diagnostic test. His utter indifference to my wife's health, and possibly her life makes me question whether this entire practice should continue to attempt such surgeries. If the followup care, which is essential, is ignored, then the patient becomes little more than a guinea pig. Only, the care of laboratory animals is subject to federal guidelines. Especially in a climate where it is now well known that the long term success of lapbands is much poorer than once claimed, thorough aftercare including diagnostic testing when the patient feels something has gone wrong is essential. If it is not being done, then maybe that individual needs to get a new day job. By the way, I am a professor of chemistry who has worked in close collaboration with some excellent people in basic biomedical research.
Another point that occurs to me is that perhaps Dr. Kim is one of those people who simply feels women are too emotional and their complaints should not be taken seriously.
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Dr. Kim and his team have been nothing but helpful during this whole process. From the initial informational session down to the post-op care that I have gotten.
I've had a couple of issues with pain that I had to call the office for during off hours and was always happy with the response and concern shown by the person who was on call (both times it happened to be Dr. Kim himself).
He fully addressed every concern that I had before my surgery as well as the little questions I have had after.
As a person he comes off as very methodical and basically as a perfectionist which, in my opinion, is exactly the qualities I wanted in a surgeon who was going to be slicing into me.
The only negative I can come up with is the wait times during the Doctor visits... Which, With the number of patients who are looking to have, or, who have had the surgery, is understandable that there will be a wait.
If you are anywhere in the Central/Upstate New York area, I fully suggest giving Dr Kim at the SUNY Upstate University Hospital Bariatric Center a call. In my opinion, it was easily the best choice in our area.
I met Dr. Kim a few minutes before surgery. He seemed pleasant and had a very kind, trusting face.
I can tell you that his work, so far, is amazing. I'm only a few days post-op, but my pain is very minimal. My incisions do not itch (I've had two surgeries before and for some reason I ALWAYS wind up with mild surface irritation).
The staff at the bariatric center in Syracuse is incredible. From their friendly customer service staff to Marcy, the NP sent from above! :-) I cannot thank them enough for their patience as I battled with doctors for approval.
My only suggestion would be - if you can find a way to get a private post-op room, DO IT! I was roomed with a very nice young girl who was in a near-fatal car accident. She had visitors coming in and out ALL DAY LONG. Most of my first night was spent getting my vitals checked. By the time I was set to go - I was EXHAUSTED and losing a bit of my mind.
the only bad thing so far that i do have to say is that i didnt get the chance to actually meet my surgeon until the day of my surgery. If my uncle had not had him and partners as his surgeron i would have been much more concerned about this. The office staff is all very pleasant and knowledgeable. Aftercare is very important to them. I went two weeks after surgery then every three weeks after until my third month post op. I will now be going every three months for a check up. The staff was very upfront with what could go wrong, what was going to happen, and what i needed to do afterwards. I am extremely pleased with my experience. I have not had much contact with him so i dont know much of his bedside manner i mostly deal with the other staff but i would say that his surgical competence was excellent.
Dr. Kim is an excellent surgeon who is well-respected by both his colleagues and patients alike. He is quiet, but has a dry sense of humor and calm manner. He is surrounded by a caring, competent staff who know their jobs and guide you through the pre-op process efficiently and with a great deal of personal attention. By the time that you are approved for surgery, the center's \"family\" of surgeon, nurse-practitioners, dietician and support staff all seem to have a \"stake\" in your success. The pre-op process is demanding, but the staff seem genuinely excited as you progress through the process and accomplish each of the pre-op requirements. rnrnThe aftercare program is structured and begins the day of surgery with the in-hospital nurse-practitioner who checks in with you almost as soon as you get checked into your room from recovery. She guides you through each of the post-op steps -- pain management, starting \"water trials,\" post-op medications, etc., and clearly explains everything to you prior to your discharge. She was especially good at explaining all of the strange things that were going on with my body after surgery and assuring me that they were all \"normal\" despite my concerns to the contrary, and no question was deemed too silly. Thereafter, you see the nurse-practitioners in the surgery center and dietician at two weeks, one month, two months, six months and then annually.rnrnThe program also emphasizes support group participation and sponsors several post-op support groups which are excellent. rnrnI would rate the experience overall as excellent and I would recommend Dr. Kim to anyone who is considering this surgery.
I first met Dr. Kim about a month after I learned that my original surgeon, Dr. Paul Cunningham(who also was chief of surgery at University Hospital), had left the practice and moved. I was a bit anxious because I believed I previously had the best person possible to do my surgery, but that feeling didn't last. Dr. Kim assured me right from that visit that he believed he could do my procedure laproscopically--something Dr. Cunningham did not do. He also struck me as very competent and relaxed, which helped me to feel I was in good hands for my December 1, 2008 Roux-en-Y bypass surgery.rnrnIn the hospital, I saw Dr. Kim before and after the operation as well as just before my discharge, and found that he had a good sense of humor and with whom was quite easy to talk. After surgery, I've visited with him a couple of times and really enjoyed talking with him.rnrnMy surgery has been a complete success so far, with no complications and a significant weight loss. I believe Dr. Kim is an excellent choice for any patient, and that his competency and manner are both excellent. In addition, the bariatric program at University Hospital is a great team that supports both the surgeons and their patients. If you live in Central New York, you owe it to yourself to be sure to talk to them first. My experience with them has been excellent!
Dr Kim is an excellent surgeon. My first impressions were not the best, but his surgical skills are impeccable. He is very knowledgable and seems to be a bit shy. He is quite personalable and very happy to answer any questions. Initionally I thought his bedside manner was something to be desired, but once I warmed up to him, I had no problems. I would recommend him to anyone. The staff at the bariatric center in Syracuse are wonderful, very caring and helpful.
Dr. Kim did my surgery and I have no complaints. The explanation of the surgery was explained well pre and post op. Dr. Kim is quiet, a very mild manner personality which makes for his great bedside manner. I love the staff just as much, everyone was and still is very helpful and "caring". These qualities are always a winner in my book. I feel very lucky to have had this team.
