Brian Sung, MD
Your Partner to Better Health
Washington's Premier Weight Loss Specialist
My Background
Dr. Sung is a double board certified, fellowship trained bariatric surgeon and weight loss specialist who is committed to a patient-centered and patient-focused philosophy of care. His comprehensive practice includes both surgical and non-surgical weight loss in addition to general surgery. Dr. Sung has served the greater Pacific Northwest community and beyond for nearly a decade now and has performed over 3000 life changing operations. He is recognized for his exceptional surgical outcomes complemented by his compassionate, humble bedside manner. As such he has been recognized by his medical colleagues and nominated as a Seattle Met Top Doc and WA State Top Doc on multiple occasions. Dr. Sung is one of only a select number of bariatric surgeons who are board certified by both the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Obesity Medicine. Dr. Sung chose bariatric surgery as his vocation for a multitude of reasons but most importantly he cherishes the life long relationships with his patients by being their partner on their journey to better health through weight loss.
Dr. Sung is blessed with a wonderful wife and two children with whom he loves to share all that the majestic Pacific Northwest has to offer including fishing, hiking, snowboarding and surfing. And as a former semi-professional violinist who performed with the likes of Yo Yo Ma and Isaac Stern, he loves to make and listen to music in and out of the operating room.
My Experience
Private Practice
Dr. Sung has over 20 years of surgical expertise. He is currently the Medical Director of Weight Loss Services at Newvue Plastic Surgery. Prior to joining Newvue, Dr. Sung practiced at Swedish where he served as the Medical Director of Bariatric Surgery. Under his leadership, patient surgical outcomes and patient experience dramatically improved garnering recognition including Blue Center of Distinction, Optum Center of Excellence, and MBSAQIP Accreditation. Dr. Sung was also integral in improving the General Surgery Residency bariatric experience and was recognized for his efforts being awarded Teacher of Year in 2021. Dr. Sung is also a sought after thought leader in the field of bariatrics and patient advocacy. He is a highly sought out speaker and has served on multiple committees at many national and international meetings. He served two terms as the Access to Care Representative for the State of Washington and played a key role in groundbreaking legislation and policy making related to bariatric surgery.
Fellowship - Stanford University
Dr. Sung was selected for the highly competitive fellowship in Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery at Stanford University where he also served as a Clinical Instructor. During his fellowship he refined his surgical skills in standard lap band, sleeve gastrectomy, and gastric bypass surgeries in addition to complex revision surgeries. Dr. Sung also gained proficiency in the clinical applications of robotic, single incision, and endoscopic surgery and played an integral role in the initial Stanford experience in the Per Oral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM) procedure. Dr. Sung again was instrumental in teaching the Stanford General Surgery residents and the Bariatric Surgery Department was recognized as the best surgical rotation during his tenure as a clinical instructor.
General Surgery Residency - University of Southern California
Being a native Angeleno, Dr. Sung returned to his home state of California to complete his general surgery training at Los Angeles County + University of Southern California. Recognized for his leadership and his teaching acumen, Dr. Sung was the recipient of the Resident Teaching Award in addition to being chosen for the coveted Colorectal Resident Research Fellowship. Dr. Sung's grandfather received his cancer care at Los Angeles County hospital after just immigrating to America and to be able to care for and serve the greater Los Angeles community at the same hospital was a truly profound experience for Dr. Sung.
Medical School - Boston University
Dr. Sung moved to the East Coast for his medical training and attended Boston University School of Medicine. In addition to fulfilling the rigors of a medical school curriculum, Dr. Sung also participated in several surgical research projects leading to several publications and podium presentations. Being an avid sports fan, Dr. Sung took full advantage of all that the wicked awesome Boston sports scene had to offer including attending Red Sox, Patriots and Bruins games while enjoying a crisp, refreshing Samuel Adams Boston Lager.
Undergraduate Studies - University of California at Berkeley
Go Bears! Dr. Sung is proud to be a Golden Bear and bleeds blue and gold. At Cal, Dr. Sung studied Integrative Biology and Music. His interest in medicine led him to benchside research and an internship in Pediatrics. And his love for music continued with performing with the Univeristy Orchestra and being selected as a member of University String Quartet.
Medical Services & Procedures
SURGICAL WEIGHT LOSS
Sleeve Gastrectomy
Gastric Bypass
Single Anastomosis Duodenal Switch
Revisions
Bariatric surgery is the most effective and durable treatment for the disease of obesity and its associated medical conditions. Patients can lose between 50-90% of their excess body weight. In addition, there is dramatic improvement, if not complete resolution of obesity related conditions including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea to name a few. Just as important is the improvement in overall quality of life as patients can experience significant decrease in pain, increased energy, and overall better mood. Dr. Sung is well versed in all the bariatric procedures and currenlty performs the vertical sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass, single anastomosis duodenal switch, adjustable gastric band placement/removals, and revision surgery both laparoscopically and robotically.
ENDOSCOPIC WEIGHT LOSS
Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty
Gastric Balloon
Endoscopic Revision
Endoscopic weight loss procedures are non-surgical, minimally invasive procedures which are performed using an endoscope. An endoscope is a thin, flexible tube with a camera on the end that is inserted through the mouth and allows visualization of the digestive tract. This technique allows for procedures to be performed without any surgical incisions. These procedures include the endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, gastric balloon, and endoscopic revisions like stoma and gastric pouch reduction. The procedures are quick and typically done in an outpatient setting as recovery is quicker. Dr. Sung is one of the pioneers of endoscopic weight loss procedures as he was one of the first surgeons to offer the gastric balloon and endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty on the West Coast.
MEDICAL WEIGHT LOSS
Medical Nutrition
Weight Loss Medications
Dr. Sung practices a comprehensive approach for the treatment of obesity. He is one of only a handful of surgeons who is double board certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Obesity Medicine. He provides an individualized, customized care plan centered around nutrition and lifestyle modifications, weight loss medications and health coaching.
GENERAL SURGERY
Gallbladder
Acid Reflux
Hernia
Lipoma
General Surgery is the foundation for all surgical subspecialties including bariatric surgery. Dr. Sung performs general surgery procedures for both bariatric and non-bariatric patients. These procedures include elective gallbladder, hernia, acid reflux, and soft tissue procedures. He also offers diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy as well.
Team
Get to Know Us
Megan Moore
Dietitian
Megan Moore, RD, CSOWM, CD is a Registered Dietitian and a Certified Specialist in Obesity and Weight Management. She specializes in helping those who have undergone bariatric surgery optimize their nutrition and learn balanced eating strategies to support weight loss success. In 2019, she published her first book, The Complete Bariatric Cookbook and Meal Plan: Recipes and Guidance for Life Before and After Surgery. You can follow with her on Instagram @mybariatricdietitian or online at www.MyBariatricDietitian.com
Sukwan Jolley
Dietitian
Sukwan is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Specialist in Obesity and Weight Management with 15 years of experience in research, diabetes, weight management, nutrition counseling in bariatric surgery, and bariatric program management.
Bariatrics is truly her passion and her calling! The opportunity to be a part of such positive, life-transforming procedures constantly inspires her. She continues to learn from patients and never ceases to admire their courage and commitment to health.
When not working with patients, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and little girl, or reading and cooking at home. She loves to eat sautéed green leafy vegetables, noodle soup, and dark chocolate (the last two in moderation, of course).
You can follow her on social media @TheJolleyDietitian or online at www.jolleydietitian.com
Kailee Leverso
Dietitian
Kailee is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and a Certified Dietitian in Washington State. Her background in nutrition science combined with her knowledge of food provides clients with recommendations that are easy to incorporate into any lifestyle.
Kailee has experience in a variety of nutrition settings. Most recently she has worked in a rural clinic as a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist and is certified to work with Tandem insulin pumps. She has experience with a variety of diabetes medications, CGM systems, Medtronic products and Omnipod. Kailee also has over 5 years of experience working at Swedish within the Bariatric, Metabolic and Endocrine clinic where she counseled patients with diabetes and those undergoing bariatric surgery. Prior to this Kailee has worked at the University of Washington Medical Center, Harborview Medical Center and the University of Washington Athletics program.
Kailee currently works with patients virtually for individual medical nutrition therapy appointments with a specialization in Diabetes Education, Bariatric Nutrition and Food Sensitivity Testing.
You can follow her online at www.nutritioneats.com
Kevin Luu
Patient Navigator
Kevin is the Patient Navigator extraordinaire. He assists in coordinating patient care plans and creates a boutique patient care experience. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Washington. He has worked in healthcare since 2014 and enjoys being a patient partner and advocate. In his free time, Kevin enjoys spending time with friends and family, playing tennis and volleyball and adventuring out to new eateries in Seattle.
What Would You Like to Know?
Am I a candidate for weight loss surgery?
Qualifications for bariatric surgery in most areas per insurance include:
BMI ≥ 40, or more than 100 pounds overweight.
BMI ≥ 35 and at least one or more obesity-related co-morbidity such as type II diabetes (T2DM), hypertension, sleep apnea and other respiratory disorders, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, osteoarthritis, lipid abnormalities, gastrointestinal disorders, or heart disease.
Inability to achieve a healthy weight loss sustained for a period of time with prior weight loss efforts.
Can I get a same-day appointment?
We know that when you make the decision to have a life changing procedure like bariatric surgery you are motivated and eager to move forward as soon as possible. Depending on availability, we are able to accomodate same-day appointments as we share in your excitement to start the process to a healthier you.
Will my insurance cover my visit?
Bariatric surgery is covered by most private insurance plans. When you schedule a consultation, our insurance specialists will provide a free benefit check for you. You are encouraged to call your insurance carrier to check to see if bariatric surgery is a covered benefit.
Do you offer financing options?
Having financial options gives you the freedom to make decisions regarding your treatment options. We work with third party vendors who provide financing options for treatments and procedures that typically are not covered by insurance, or for times when insurance does not cover the full amount.
Where can I park?
There is ample, free garage parking with multiple assigned spaces for Newvue Plastic Surgery. The entrance to the garage faces Main Street across the street from Gibert's on Main. There is also parking along Main Street as well.
Contact Me
Located in beautiful Old Town Bellevue
10047 Main Street #103
Bellevue, WA 98004
425-463-9883 office
425-968-4631 fax