Peter Crookes Bariatric Surgeon M.D., F.A.C.S.

Dr. Crookes is extremely competent, capable, and warm. However, he does not automatically allow anyone to have the DS. He will interview you and determine what your expectations and goals are, as well as your comorbilities to determine if the DS is really appropriate. He told me that he was moving away from doing the DS, and really only does it when the patient is clearly committed, has specific comorbidities that would be resolved with a DS vs. the RNY, and has realistic expectations of the surgery. His main complaint was people seeking the DS, according to him, believe that they will be able to eat everything they want - while that certainly it is the case with a percentage of people, others will have food sensitivities and will have reactions similar to the RNY. He said that there is a much greater risk of small bowel obstruction with DS which is life threatening.rnrnHe did say that he will always be available for follow up. He said, I'll never abandon you. What an amazing man.

I liked his attitude. I had to explain to him why I wanted DS instead of RNY which showed him I had done my research. He seems very thorough with pre-op testing.

Just this morning (8/21/2000) I scheduled an initial appointment with Dr. Crookes to schedule a revision. His first available opening is mid-January 2001. I think he's worth the wait.rnrnI met with Dr. Peter Crookes on January 17th -- and he was well worth the wait! He answered all my questions (although most of my questions had already been answered by my research on this website and its links!)rnrnHe recommended the Duodenal Switch procedure for me, but cautioned me that the surgery would be complicated by the fact that I had already had one weight-loss surgery plus gall bladder surgery and a hysterectomy! He insists on an endoscopy first to visualize what was done in the last surgery. We are looking at May 9th if all goes well!rnrnWell, I've had the endoscopy, the lab work, a pulmonary function test, and the first part of a cardiac stress test. The other half of the stress test - my last pre-op test - is tomorrow (4/19/2001). Then it's on to the surgery still scheduled for May 9th.rnrnIt's June 9th - one month after surgery. The surgery was a breeze, and one month later I'm down 35 pounds, and off most of my medications! Dr. Crookes is a warm and gentle man, with an Irish accent, and a great sense of humor. Most important? He truly believes in what he does!

Dr Crookes was friendly and compasionate, he answered all questions my daughter and I both had.

First impressions are everything. This surgeon is caring and absolutely does all three of the wls. I have choose DS. Dr. Peter Crookes is a great man, and I feel secure that he will be successful on my surgery. If you want more info, e mail me. Thanks! Good Luck!!

My first office consultation with Dr. Crooks will be Feb. 11, 2008. Will update more then.

Dr. Crookes is My mothers Angel, and Will soon be mine. He is dedicated, ohh so very dedicated to his patients. He does take time... not just in the office, but on the actual surgery table. My mother ran into complications, and Dr. Crookes would not give up on her. He stayed in the OR over 6, yes six hours to save her life. He is honest, very honest, and that is what I value in him. No sugar coating here. The PACE program at USC is very informative, and takes the precautions to prevent and keep down any infection rates. I have been to MULTIPLE meetings and seminars, but Dr. Crookes, I just kept going back. He is .... loving... he loves what he does and he has pride and compassion. This shows in his dedication to you as a patient, not only a chart.. but you are a person. He remembers you... that was important to me. Mary his nurse is wonderful, she recognized my voice on the phone.... I was so amazed and felt that I was not a chart, or a patient number. And Espee is great.

I just love Dr. Crookes. He has a wonderful personality and genuinely seems so concerned and caring and offers unlimited time for you. His skills are superb and he's very honest: qualities that are very important to me. He worked alongside one of the \"grandfathers\" of the D.S. at U.S.C. and then became head of the dept. when Dr. Anthone left. I couldn't have asked for a better gastric bypass surgeon - he's phenomenal.

I meet Dr. Peter Crookes back in 2003 I call him my special angel cause Dr. Crookes is the one that broke the mold. Dr. Crookes goes above and beyond just being a Doctor he has become my life long friend. We worked together with the insurence co. for 4 long years and Dr. Crooks went to bat for me everytime we got shot down, then finally on March 15th he called the insurence co. and I guess they were feeling generous that day cuase they said yes and approved my surgery and I had a surgery date for March 21, 2007, after almost 4 long years, If it had not been for Dr. Crookes caring so much and wanting to help his patients I would probly still be waiting. I credit Dr. Crookes for all my success, he is one of a kind, he is caring, sincere, kind hearted man. You know they'er people who often go out of their way to pitch in when there is work to be done, they show understanding, they lighten our problems they help us in more ways than one. This is Dr. Peter Crookes. He stands beside his patients and helps them through every step in every way he can. He has been blessed in every way he is a wonderful man.

I had been to the seminars for two other bariatric programs before I went to the one for USC University Hospital (Los Angeles, CA), where I first heard Dr. Peter Crookes speak. I was impressed with their program, but I had this feeling about Dr. Crookes. I just knew he was the one. Sometimes you just have to trust your gut.rnrnAt my first consultation with him I weighed 550 pounds. He was very frank and honest with me about the risks involved with surgery on someone my size. But he also explained how he was the head of the department and did all the high risk cases, and that he had done surgery on people like me that had turned out very well, so there was no reason to become discouraged or give up hope. He said he preferred to do the vertical sleeve gastrectomy only at that time, and that after I had lost some weight he could go back and do the intestinal bypass portion of the surgery. As long as I passed all the pre-op testing, he would do my surgery, As I left he put his hand on my shoulder and said, in his delightful Irish brogue, \"I'm lucky, I get to do all you big girls.\"rnrnAfter reading some of your stories. I see what a miracle my experience was. I set the appointments, passed the tests, set the date and had the surgery - no problems, smooth sailing. I had particularly expected problems with the psychological report because I have bipolar disorder and was not currently seeing anyone about it. But the psychiatrist I saw said he would approve me as long as I got into treatment and stayed there throughout the procedure and the first year following it. Well, he was right, I should have been in treatment all along. It's been 18 months since my surgery, I'm still in a treatment program, and I am doing better that I ever have. The support of my women's therapy group has been invaluable. Anyway, my first consultation was in early August and I had surgery in December. Since I was so big I had to have an open procedure. Because of my sleep apnea and general high risk condition I was in intensive care for the first 24 hours. They took such good care of me! And USC University Hospital had a wonderful pain management team. Before the surgery they insterted a epidural in my back, not for the surgery for but tfor post surgical pain control. I had very little pain for the first three days and not a whole lot of pain thereafter. Their reasoning is that you heal faster when you aren't in pain, and I certainly believe them! I had surgery on Friday, went home on Tuesday, and stayed by myself from the first night (my parents were there from Arizona, but I live in a studio apartment, so they were in a motel nearby).rnrnDr. Crooke's personal office follow-up has been good, but the bariatric program at the hospital has fallen apart. Something about the doctors still belongintg to USC but the hospital being bought by someone else. Last I talked to them, a few months ago, they were trying to get things going again to start having support groups. I need to call them again. In the meantime, a few friends and I have been going to a wonderful support group on Tuesdays at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena. So if things change at USC I will update this. rnrnBut Dr.Crookes was wonderful, and I would put my life in his hands without hesitation at any time. I trust him implicitly. As soon as I am confident that USC hospital has their stuff straightened out, I am going to go back and have him do the rest of the surgery. I started at 550, was 528 the day of surgery, and now I am about 375 (I think - I don't have a scale).