I first met Dr. Gritsus in the summer of 2003 when my husband was considering WLS. There was an informal seminar at the hosp ital. He had discussed the 2 different surgeries he performs, along with pre-qualifications that were needed. He was patien t answering any and all questions. I was somewhat confused and apprehensive to WLS. But then accompanying my husband to see Dr. Gritsus I became more relaxed and accepting to surgery. My husband had Lap Band Surgery in January and after his succes s I recently followed. I have never met a surgeon who has such a caring and supportive nature such as Dr. Gritsus. He is with you, prior to, during , and post-op. Dean his PA., Linda, and Cathy his office staff are also excellent!! sometimes I felt like I was calling them to much while waiting for insurance approval. They never made me feel out of sorts in anyway. I needed to have a consultation with a Nutritionist, Psychologist, and Gastro Dr. as prior surgical clearance. I met with Dr . Gritsus a week before surgery to discuss one last time about the banding procedure, the incisions, and signing the consent forms. My surgery was scheduled for 8am. I checked into the Same Day Surgery unit at 6am. I needed to change into a hospital gown, and an IV was started. I went into the OR holding room where I was met by Dean and Dr. Gritsus. Again there was the opportunity to ask any questions from either me or my husband. I was then moved into the O R seeing Dr. Gritus and Dean prior to going to sleep. After a few hours I needed to have a swallow study, to be sure the ban d was in place, and functions properly. I went home that evening about 6pm. There is a monthly support meeting we attend wh ere fellow Lap Band Patients gather, (a different meeting for the By-Pass group also monthly). Sincerely, L.B.

My surgeon was very professional, he and his staff were helpful in every area. Anytime I have a question they give me a stra ight foward answer they are polite, kind, caring staff. Dr. Gritsus is an amazing surgeon he did a terrific job and I only h ave great things to say about him as well as his staff. Especially his PA Dean he is just as great as the doctor. I would r eccomend Dr. Gritsus to anyone who wants this surgery. Love Shelly A Thiessen

Hi Everyone, We are Carol's feet. My sibling on the right doesn't talk much, so I'll speak for both of us. You can call me Lefty. We we re born in~Euh, well it was a long, long time ago, and were perfectly normal, pink and sweet. We stayed that way all through Carol's childhood. When we reached puberty, she trimmed and polished our nails and took good care of us. (Until high heels came along) But still~Ewe were very happy feet. We settled into middle age and noticed that things began to be harder for u s. This was expected, but we were experiencing more than the normal load. Still~Ewe were happy feet. Then is began to get serious. She gained more and more and more. She developed High Blood Pressure (hereafter designated as HBP), and Type II diabetes. She began to take medicine for HBP and Insulin for Diabetes, eye drops for Glaucoma, and Inhale d Steroids for Pulmonary Fibrosis along with many drugs for Rheumatoid Arthritis. We were mostly ignored as she couldn't eve n see us anymore when she looked down. We tried to let her know; we pinched her, developed calluses, neuropathy and the drea ded "hammer toes". But still~Eshe never heard us crying. We were still size 5-1/2 and never meant to carry the load she put on us. Finally the HBP, Diabetes, Glaucoma, Pulmonary Fibrosis and Rheumatoid Arthritis all joined us in the war against he r behavior. She was losing! Finally a friend dragged her to a seminar at Dr. Gritsus's office. At 215 lbs. She no longer had options open to her. On Ma y 5th she underwent a Rouxen Y gastric bypass. That was 4 months ago. She's lost 50 lbs and no longer needs medication for HBP or Diabetes, which was expected. However, the Glaucoma and the Pulmonary Fibrosis are diseases that were diagnosed as on ly being able to stay the same or become worse, yet they have also improved. The pulmonary Physician and the Ophthalmologist are amazed at the improvement. The Neuropathy is almost gone as well. The other day she looked down and actually saw us ag ain. She polished us in the most beautiful pink color. She will lose another 35 lbs. We are so grateful, that whenever she stands up~Ewe run with her; she no longer drags us aroun d. Life is good again! Thank you Dr. Gritsus, Dean, Linda and Kathy, you have all been literally, life savers for Carol (an d us) Our deepest thanks, Lefty

I was very impressed with the throughness of the doctor and the physician's assistant. I felt like I was in good hands. His o ffice staff is wonderful. I feel that you get the one-on-one that you need from everybody, they have the time to sit with you and talk, you are not rushed because he is running behind. I can't say enough good things about Dr. Gritsus - and Dean they are lifesavers. I am so glad that I met everone in their office; they make you feel so good about yourself. Debbie Diamond Wanaque, NJ My surgeon and his physician's assistant were wonderful! They spent well over 4 hours doing a personal orientation for me and my cousin, who is also considering surgery. I was apprehensive and had many questions. Both Doctors were patient and support ive. The office staff were pleasant and encouraging. What I liked best was the time spent talking to my husband, who called b ecause he was very nervous about my getting the surgery. I also appreciated all of the supportive services offered to patient s; my surgeon has resources for everything from psychologist and nutritionist to personal trainers. Aftercare was also emphas ized. Dr. Gritsus explained the need for support from my personal physician, gynocologist and all others involved. A great de al of time was spent discussing the risk of surgery. I was truly impressed; all of my questions and/or concerns were answered . I was also told if I had any other questions and/or concerns to feel free to call. Marsha Snead Williams Montclair, NJ

I met Dr. Gritsus today with my husband. He is a kind, caring, smart doctor. He takes the time to explain what the surgery en tails, the risks, what happens in the OR, hospital, discharge, and aftercare. He welcomes any questions and concerns. He is v ery thorough in the pre-op process - lots of tests, but he wants to give me the best possible care and have the best outcome. I am very happy with my choice of surgeons. I feel he is a gifted surgeon and I would recommend him to anyone considering th e Lap RNY surgery. Dr. Gritsus also works with a great physician's assistant, Dean, who was very kind, friendly and very thor ough in interviewing me. They make a great team. Diane Bower Lincoln Park, NJ

"Dr. Gritsus is an amazing surgeon/doctor. He is professional and patient. Always willing to answer any questions I had. His staff was also wonderful. He was great with follow up after my surgery, even came to the ER on a Saturday to run tests when in the end I had just pulled a muscle! Aftercare is very important to him. He has a nutritionist who also works at his office. She is wonderful as well. Always returns my calls and is very supportive." E.B.

"Great first impression. Appeared thorough, kind and ha a great follow through program in place. His office staff is the best I've encountered at any Dr.'s office. I've only met with him twice so far, but opinion remains positive." C.H.J.

"My first impression of Dr. Gritsus put all of my nerves and fears to rest at once. I met him and his P.A., Dean Mellas at one of their seminars. I saw immediately that they cared very much for their patients and had a wonderful grasp of our emotional reasons for having the surgery as well as just the obvious medical facts. My impression of Dr. Gritsus over time has only gotten better and better. He is a great person. His P.A., Dean is a great guy who also was extremely helpful in my journey to post-op. His office staff, Kathy and Linda are also two of the most competent and kind women I have come across in this process. It is important to note that these are my personal experiences and although I feel others would agree, everyone should always be their own advocate and become EDUCATED before doing anything! There was nothing that ever caused me to dislike this surgeon. He cares so much and he is very humble. Dr. Gritsus and Dean have aftercare support groups once a month and they or their staff are available for questions at any time. Dr. Gritsus and Dean directly addressed the risks and made sure I was well educated in all aspects of the surgery. At this point, my rating is 10/10. Both Dr. Gritsus' surgical competence and bedside manner are extremely skilled/caring. I have no negatives to report." Fran C.

"My first impression of Dr. Gritsus and his assistant Dean was that they both had a genuine concern for everyone at the information meeting and has remained the same since. I also find the office staff equally helpful. Both Dr. Gritsus and Dean greatly emphasize aftercare and communication. Feedback is part of their surgical procedure. I am scheduled to see the doctor and the nutritionist many times for the first six months and then if all is well, once every six months. The different types of procedures and the risks associated with both were explained both at the informational meeting and at each meeting with the docotr and his physician's assistant Dean. I have yet to have the surgery so I will post how the rest goes." S.R.