About

Since 1990, Dr. Elariny has worked diligently to perfect, maintain and expand the scope of his surgical expertise. Combined with his knowledge in the field of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, he completed his Doctoral Degree with a thesis focused on the molecular mechanisms of early breast cancer. Bringing these scientific and protocol-based care modalities to the field of obesity management, Dr. Elariny established the first comprehensive minimally invasive bariatric surgery program in the greater Washington DC, metropolitan area in 1999. He invented the Sleeve Gastrectomy procedure, performing the first Sleeve Gastrectomy in 2000, now with over 20 years of follow-up data, and now the most widely accepted and performed bariatric surgical procedure in the world.  He established and directed the first accredited minimally invasive and bariatric surgery fellowship in the Washington, DC area in 2003. His interest in adipocyte metabolism and adipose tissue led him to research differential gene expression in obese vs. non-obese visceral adipose tissue, discovering that genes related to lipid and glucose metabolism, membrane transport, and cell cycle promoting genes are generally upregulated in obesity. 

Additional investigation revealed that patients with insulin resistance have low-level adiponectin expression in visceral fat, which is associated with fatty liver disease. On the surgical front, Dr. Elariny perfected his techniques in laparoscopic surgery in general and more specific to obesity, the Duodenal Switch procedure using only two 10 mm port sites and only three 5 mm port sites, the Sleeve gastrectomy, using a total of only three small incisions (5 mm x 2 and 10 mm x 1), and the Gastric Bypass with only three 5 mm incisions and on 10 mm incision. He also pioneered the first robotic bariatric procedures including the single incision robotic sleeve gastrectomy. Dr. Elariny performed the first EndoSleeve revision procedures, all before 2010. Weight loss and obesity research was not enough for the overall well-being of patients. Dr. Elariny understood the importance of aesthetic, functional and cosmetic improvement in addition to general weight loss, and began offering abdominoplasty procedures as early as 2000, including panniculectomy, standard flap abdominoplasty, Fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty, total body lift, with and without abdominal muscle plication (“tightening”).  Finally, Dr. Elariny performs simple and  large volume liposuction as a modality in the management of adiposity. He has performed over a 1000 cosmetic procedures in the last year alone.