Bariatric Surgery

Bariatric Surgery - Baton Rouge

What you can expect from Ochsner Baton Rouge:

• FREE Online Weight Loss Surgery seminars to learn about your options at Ochsner Baton Rouge and to get your questions answered. To begin the seminar online, please complete the form at the top of the page.

• Guidance and information on proper diet, vitamin supplementation and daily exercise.

• Access to high-quality care in various specialties including cardiology, critical care, internal medicine and more.

• An increased quality of life that decreases medical expenses and prolongs life.

Non - Surgical Weight Loss Options

Ochsner now offers a non-invasive weight loss procedure for patients to manage weight loss. Orbera™ combines a clinically tested and proven medical device, with a customized plan developed by Ochsner’s care team to effectively manage weight loss. This weight loss program will help you create healthy lifestyle habits and maintain your weight loss over time.

Orbera™ is a cash only procedure, not covered by insurance. Please call 225-435-8338 for more information.

Bariatric Surgery - West Bank

This site is designed to serve as a tool to help you understand more about morbid obesity, weight reduction surgery and the Surgical Weight Loss Program at Ochsner Medical Center - West Bank Campus in Gretna, Louisiana. The mission of our Surgical Weight Loss Program is to improve the health of the population we serve by providing medical and surgical weight loss options and helping the individual achieve the highest quality of life possible.

The bariatric program at Ochsner Medical Center – West Bank involves a multidisciplinary team who will consult and evaluate each patient individually prior to surgery.  The pre-operative team encompasses a bariatric clinic coordinator, a registered nutritionist, and a psychiatric consult.  The information gathered by the multidisciplinary team will be presented to the bariatric surgeon and will assist him/her in deciding whether an individual is a candidate for a bariatric procedure.  Ochsner West Bank has the privilege of having many specialties available for our patients.

Besides helping you take those first steps towards a healthier life, we want to ensure that our patients arefully educated and are able to make an informed decision before undergoing weight reduction surgery. In keeping with the mission of Ochsner, The Surgical Weight Loss Program has the following objectives:

• Overcome the cultural bias towards the emotional and physical challenges of the morbidly obese
• Educate health care workers to the causes of morbid obesity and how to care for the special needs of these patients
• Help the patient address and treat the causes of morbid obesity
• Provide long-term follow up and support for both patients undergoing surgical solutions or remaining on medical therapy
• Provide a multi-disciplinary team approach to the management of morbid obesity through assessment, intervention and patient education
• To provide total patient care in a secure and comfortable environment
• To improve the health and quality of life for the patient population we serve by committing the resources and effort necessary to develop the specialized knowledge and experience required for the successful treatment of morbid obesity

Bariatric Surgery on the North Shore

Schedule an Appointment Today! (985) 639-3777

Our office is located at: 1850 Gause Boulevard East, Suite 303, Slidell

Welcome to Ochsner’s Bariatric Surgery Program for the North Shore! We’re proud to provide excellent surgical weight loss options to the communities of Slidell, Covington, Southwest Mississippi and everywhere in between.

We offer a variety of surgical options, including Sleeve Gastrectomy, Gastric Bypass, and Lap-Band surgery, to fit the needs of all our patients. Plus, you can rest easy knowing all surgeries are done within Ochsner Health System, with immediate and direct access to its world-renowned and nationally-ranked care.

The Bariatric Surgery Program at Ochsner Medical Center - North Shore in Slidell has received accreditation from the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program and is a Comprehensive Center.  

Contact Information

• Surgical Weight Loss Program at Ochsner - New Orleans by calling 504-842-2701 or by bariatricsurgery@ochsner.org.
• Surgical Weight Loss Program at Ochsner - Baton Rouge by calling 225-761-5470 or by bariatricsurgerybr@ochsner.org.
• Surgical Weight Loss Program at Ochsner - West Bank Campus by calling 504-212-7036.

• Surgical Weight Loss Program at Ochsner - North Shore in Slidell: To speak with Yvette about the cost of surgical weight loss, call (985) 646-5008. To schedule an appointment, call (985) 639-3777.

Team Members

Bariatric Surgery Staff- New Orleans

William S Richardson, MD
Section Head, General Surgery; Director, Laparoscopic Surgery
Dr. Richardson earned his medical degree from Harvard University and completed his internship, residency and surgical research fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He completed his fellowship in laparoscopic surgery at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Richardson is board certified in surgery and has been on staff at Ochsner since 1997. His expertise includes laparoscopic, minimally invasive surgeries and bariatric surgery. He has a special research interest in laparoscopic (minimally invasive) surgery.

James B. Wooldridge, Jr., MD

Dr. Wooldridge earned his medical degree from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and completed his internship and residency at the University of Missouri Hospitals and Clinics in Columbia, Missouri. He completed his fellowship in laparoscopic and bariatric surgery at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center. Dr. Wooldridge is board certified in general surgery and has been on staff at Ochsner since 2009. His expertise includes laparoscopic, minimally invasive surgeries and bariatric surgery. He has a special interest in laparoscopic (minimally invasive) surgery.

Amber Weydert, PA-C
Amber Weydert is a native of New Orleans, who earned her undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University. She holds a Bachelor of Science in physician assistant studies and a Master of Medical Sciences from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Ms. Plaisance is certified by the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistant. She is a member of the AAPA (American Academy of Physician Assistants) and LAPA (Louisiana Academy of the Physician Assistants.)

Mellanie Merrit, PA-C
Mellanie Merrit is a native of New Orleans who earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and a Master of Medical Sciences from Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, Tennessee.  Ms. Merrit is certified by the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants. She is a member of the AAPA (American Academy of Physician Assistants).

Bariatric Surgery Staff- Baton Rouge

Louis Jeansonne, IV, MD
Dr. Louis Jeansonne earned his medical degree from Louisiana State University, New Orleans, Louisiana. He completed a surgical residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and a Laparoscopic fellowship at Emory University. Dr. Jeansonne is Board Certified in Surgery and has been on staff at Ochsner since August 2008. His special interests include laparoscopic hernia repair, laparoscopic colectomy, laparoscopic fundoplication, transoral incisionless fundoplication, robotic surgery and bariatric surgery.

Arthur Kim, MD
Dr. Kim received a Doctor of Medicine degree from Korea University School of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea. He completed a Surgery Residency at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In addition, Dr. Kim is a member of the American College of Surgeons, American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and the American Society of Breast Surgeons.

Kyle Jakob, MD
Dr. Kyle Jakob received his Doctor of Medicine degree from Louisiana State University, Shreveport. He completed his General Surgery Residency at Ochsner Health System, New Orleans. 

Ashley Reda, PA-C
Ashley Reda earned her undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Kinesiology, and a Master of Medical Sciences from University of Alabama at Birmingham. Ashley is certified by the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants. 

Bariatric Surgery Staff- West Bank

Michael Cook, MD
Dr. Michael Cook earned his medical degree from the University of Tennessee -College of Medicine in Memphis, TN and completed his residency at Ochsner Clinic Foundation.  He also completed a fellowship in Minimally Invasive Surgery at Emory in Atlanta, GA.   He is board certified in General Surgery and has been on staff at Ochsner Medical Center since 2009.  He has a special interest in laparoscopic (minimally invasive) surgery.

Bariatric Surgery Staff- North Shore - Slidell

The Surgical Weight Loss Program on the North Shore includes a multidisciplinary team that will be by your side before, during and after your weight loss surgery. With a customized approach, to each individual patient, our team provides everything you’ll need to achieve your weight loss goals and to keep it off.

Asahel Gridley, MD
Asahel Gridley, MD is our Bariatric Surgeon and Medical Director of Bariatric Surgery on the North Shore.  Dr. Gridley graduated from the University of Texas Medical Branch and completed his residency at Ochsner Clinic Foundation in New Orleans. He holds a Bachelor’s in Biology and Neuroscience, as well as a Minor in Chemistry from Baylor University.

Dr. Gridley is a Board-Certified General Surgeon and completed his fellowship at the University of Texas-Houston studying new technologies in Bariatric Surgery.  Dr. Gridley holds clinic experience in the following areas: minimally invasive surgery, endoscopy, and robotic surgery-Da Vinci trained.

Yvette Leonard
Yvette Leonard is our financial coordinator.  She has been with Ochsner for many years and works closely with our patients to verify insurance coverage and develop a plan to meet all insurance authorization requirements. Yvette also works to make weight loss surgery an affordable option for those choosing to pay for surgery themselves rather than through insurance.