"Dr. Kurian is pragmatic. She is cool, composed and confident -- all the qualities you want in the hands of a woman holding the scalpel. She was with the renowned NYU practice but left for private practice. She still has surgical privileges at NYU. I was seeing Dr. Christine Ren Fielding (just profiled in the Obesity Surgery journal: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11695-019-04042-9). She's good but she didn't do my surgery, she very well known, has a huge patient base and doesn't spend much time with patients. So after a year of follow up with her way over due for a visit, I went back to Kurian. iPad in hand, 7 years post-op she walked into the room, looked me 100+ pounds later, snapped her fingers a couple times and said "I put a lap band in you," like she was asking. I confirmed that she did. Her bedside manner post-op is a little cool, but preop she's supportive and kind. I was 28 when she did my surgery and at my first follow up the waist band of my pants was sitting right on the scar for the port. She burst out, "your pants are on my sutures!" I said, "your sutures? Didn't the resident open and close?" (standard practice). She said, "no. You're 28. There's going to be bikinis and boyfriends in your future. No sloppy sleep deprived resident sutures for you. I opened. I closed. I did everything in between. When my weight plateaued at about 40% WL, the approximate exception for a LAP-BAND, she was very honest with me. I'm 5'0 with a medium frame and very large breasts for my size. "Look, if the number of the scale is bothering you, subtract 17 pounds for those," she said gesturing to my breasts. You're carrying the remaining weight on your stomach but your dress to hide it. But I know you used to be a 0 and if you want to lose the rest, I get it. I promised you bikinis and boyfriends. Cut the sugar. This is a tool, not a crutch." She may not have remember my name 7 years later or even said, "hello," but she remembered my surgery. And she supported me through my journey. She worked at the WLS-pioneering NYU practice at Langone, is honest about your progress and realistic expectations and goals. She's worth the trip. Dr. Ren Fielding and her husband, Dr. Fielding, may be the brand names at Langone, but Kurian is the best."
