Dr. Steven Gitt has been a practicing Plastic Surgeon since 1993. Uniquely board certified and re-certified in Plastic Surgery and General Surgery, Dr. Gitt is optimally trained to provide excellent detailed care to his post-bariatric body-contouring patients by having the perspective of a Plastic Surgeon seasoned by the experience and perspective of a General Surgeon. Dr. Gitt covered Plastic Surgical trauma call in the early years of his practice repairing complex facial and body injuries as well as replanting severed limbs and digits for injured patients. He has practiced the full gamut of face, breast, and body cosmetic and reconstructive surgery wherein he developed an informed and balanced approach to patient care. During a time when the frequency of post-bariatric body-lifting procedures has increased by over 4000%, Dr. Gitt has developed the reputation as a local expert in post-bariatric cosmetic and reconstructive surgery.

�I have so grown to respect and admire and to respect the fortitude, the commitment and the dedication of my post-bariatric patients to improve their quality of life. I admire those who have been able to come to the difficult realization that they have a problem that is beyond their own control and to take action to correct their obesity problem by undergoing bariatric surgery. � Steven Gitt, MD, FACS

Dr. Gitt sees new post-bariatric patients almost every day. Our staff is very well-hearsed in helping our patients to get insurance coverage for those post-bariatric problems that might be covered by their insurance carrier. Panniculectomies of the abdomen, the hips, and less commonly, of the arms, buttock, and back have been covered if medical necessity is documented. Excision and closure of chronic open wounds as well as hernia repair can profoundly improve quality of life. We encourage you to be certain that your primary care physician and your bariatric surgeon have documented any problems with skin irritation and/or breakdown, as well as treatments rendered, in your medical records. This information will be essential in getting your procedures covered. Many post-bariatric patients will have umbilical and/or ventral/incisional hernias that need to be repaired at the time of your post-bariatric body contouring surgery. Because of his unique training and experience, Dr. Gitt performs hernia repair at the time of post-bariatric surgery regularly and with great skill. We have developed a dedicated following of grateful patients who have referred others and, in many cases, documented their experiences on Obesityhelp.com.

Lastly, our newest Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Dominic Heffel, will be joining North Valley Plastic Surgery in early 2007. Dr. Heffel is board certified in General Surgery and board eligible in Plastic Surgery. Dr. Heffel was a practicing bariatric surgeon at UCLA before he trained in Plastic Surgery.

At North Valley Plastic Surgery we provide excellence in post-bariatric surgical care. Dr. Gitt has earned his reputation as one of the finest post-bariatric Plastic Surgeons in the United States because of his experience, his philosophy, his skills, and the outstanding patient care team at North Valley Plastic Surgery