Thomas Walsh Bariatric Surgeon M.D.

Surgery in 2006 at 350 lbs and now 170 lbs. in and out within 24 hours with no issues following til this day. 35 minute procedure by Dr. Walsh who thoroughly prepares you prior to meeting the criteria for going through with it. Other than getting a pacemaker, definitely the best operation I’ve ever had , and I’ve had several.

First off, I really enjoy working with Regional Bariatrics' office in High Point, NC. Great, kind and knowledgable staff. They do a wonderful job preparing you for the surgery and they know exactly what you need to do to get insurance approval.

Dr. Walsh is very knowledgable in the different kinds of surgeries and the statistics about gastric bypass. He performs other surgeries besides gastric bypass, so if there are problems during the surgery, he knows how to fix it.

My first impression was that he knew exactly what he was talking about and that he is extremely confident in his abilities to perform the surgery. The only thing that I really didn't care for was/is his bedside manner. He came across very cocky and I felt as though he was using a scare tactic in selling you the surgery. Regarding his cocky-ness, if he came in saying "Well, I hope I can do this", I don't think I would have let him touch me. Regarding the scare-tactic, I believe all of the information that he stated was true.

Before the surgery, care and guidance in the office was incredible. They knew who I was and was always eager to answer any questions. Post-surgery care, particularly in after-surgery nutrition counseling needs great improvement. You know exactly what to do for the first 2 months after the surgery, but after that, you are on your own. I felt as if I was just floundering.

If I had to rate him (from 1-10, 1 being would not recommend him and 10 would HIGHLY recommend him), I would give him an 8. (Bedside manner is the only thing he needs improvement on). Regarding the office - Before surgery 10 ... After surgery 8

Dr. Walsh is a great surgeon as is Debra Green, the director of his office in High Point. He took the time to call a couple of times after the surgery to ensure that everything was going well and to remind me to call whenever I had any questions.

Before the surgery, we met with Dr. Walsh who described the procedure in detail along with the risks involved.

Dr. Walsh was trained by Dr. Robert Rutledge who developed the Mini Gastric Bypass, and performs surgery at High Point, NC. He is a very knowledgeable and caring surgeon and the staff at The Center for Laproscopic Obesity Surgery is very encouraging and helpful. I am also very pleased that there is a support/information message board made up of pre and post-ops to help with questions before and after surgery. Also, a nurse is available for advice about aftercare when needed. The aftercare program is very structured and explained in an information packet that prospective patients must read and show an understanding of before surgery is done. It also addresses in detail the risks of surgery, although the MGB has a much better record of success than many other bariatric surgeries. The only thing negative I can say is that at the pre-op meeting, the doctor seems to dwell a LOT on the negatives. I'm sure this is to be sure that the patient truly understands all risks. This surgery is reversable which helped me decide that this was for me! Dr. Rutledge is training surgeons in many parts of the country in this procedure,which is basically the Bilroth 2 surgery used for stomach cancer patients in the past. I would give Dr. Walsh an excellent rating in both surgical competence and bedside manner.

My first impression of Dr. Walsh was that he was a down to earth caring human being.He made me feel perfectly comfortable with the decision I made and answered any and all questions put to him in terms that everyone could understand.
I would not hestiate to recommend him to anyone that would listen.
Overall, I would rate him a 9 1/2 out of 10.