Dr. Luis A. Betances

• Current Medical Director of the Diabetes, Obesity and Specialties Medical Center (CEMDOE)

• Medical Director of the Center for Diagnostics, Advanced Medicine and Telemedicine (CEDIMAT), 2016-2018.

• Director and Head of the Department of Surgery and Medical Specialties, CEDIMAT

• Director of the Advanced Minimally Invasive Surgery Program, CEDIMAT

• Director of the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program, CEDIMAT

• Founder and Director of the Bariatric Institute.

• Founder and Director of the Bariatric Care Foundation.

• Member of the Editorial Board of the Ibero-American BMI Bariatric & Metabolic Journal.

• Former Editorial Member of Bariatric Times Magazine in Spanish.

• Advisor to Caribbean Health Travel Magazine.

• Consultant for Apollo Endosurgery on research and the creation and application of medical devices.

• Proctor and consultant for Ethicon Endosurgery of Johnson & Johnson.

• Director Fellowship in Advanced Laparoscopic, Bariatric and
Metabolic CEDIMAT-INTEC.

• Post Bariatric weight gain. International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO), Dubai, 2018.

• First Leaders Academy. Johnson & Johnson Medical Innovation Institute, Sao Paulo, Brazil, March, 2015.

• Certificate of Completion Second part Leaders Acadamy Program. Sao Paulo, Brazil, 2014.

• Abdominal Wall Closure Training Course. Preceptorship Training Course. Brazil, February 2014.

• Obesity Week. American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), Atlanta, Georgia. November 2013.

• Gastric Sleeve Complications, Endoscopic and Surgical Solutions.

• Advanced Bariatric Life Support (ABLS).

• Managing Bariatric Surgery Complications.

• Metabolic Surgery Update. New physiological procedures and clinical trends.

• Minimally Invasive Rectal Surgery (TAMIS). San Juan, Puerto Rico, April 2013.

• Metabolic Applied Research Strategy (MARS COURSE), Bogota, Colombia Nov 2012.

• ADVANCED BARIATRIC SURGERY SUMMIT 2012. May 2012. Bogotá, Colombia.

• American Society for Laparoscopic and Endoscopic Surgery Annual Meeting SAGES 2012. San Diego, CA, USA

– Laparoscopic Colon Surgery Course.

– Metabolic Surgery Course for Type II Diabetes.

• American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) Congress, 2012. San Diego, CA, USA

– Course on Managing Complications in Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery.

– Course on Endoscopic Therapeutics applied to Bariatric Surgery complications

• American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Congress. ASMBS. 2011

– Metabolic Surgery Update, Bariatric Surgery Advances in Latin America,

– Advances in Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy Surgery. June 2011

• Masters in Metabolic Surgery, IFSO Latin American, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, March 2011.

• Seminar at the Endo-Surgery Institute on the Approach to Weight Loss Surgery. Cincinnati, OH. September 2007.

• Proctor of the Hand-Assisted Laparoscopy Large Intestine Removal Program, University of Puerto Rico, School of Medicine, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, Jay Redan, MD March, 2006.

• Master's Degree in: Bariatric Surgery. American Society for Bariatric Surgery, June-July, 2005.

• CME “Bariatric Surgery”: American College of Surgeons. San Francisco, CA, October, 2005.

• 4-Day Comprehensive Training Program in Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgery including: Advanced Training in Multidisciplinary Adjustment for Bariatric Surgery in the United States, Fort Lauderdale, FL with Robert Marema MD, July 2004

• Advanced Bariatric Surgery Course, 21st Annual Meeting of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery ASMBS, San Diego, CA, June 2004.

• Course in Bariatric Surgery, American College of Surgeons (ACS), 2003

• Certification in Gastric By-Pass: Surgical Treatment of Mobility Obesity,
University of Virginia Health System, M.Gagner Pr. M. Vix Dr. 2003.

• Certification in Laparoscopy in Left and Right Adrenalectomy, University of Virginia Health System, J. Mascareux, Pr., D. Mutter, Pr. 2003

• Certificate of Participation in Bariatric Surgery at the Department of General Vascular Surgery and Vascular Surgery, Section of Minimally Invasive Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic in Weston with Dr. Raúl Rosenthal, 2003.

• Certification in Bariatric Surgery (Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass) with 90 hours of Manual Surgical Practice, Johnson and Johnson, with Dr. Dillip Dan, Proctor, 2003.

• Certification in Bariatric Surgery (Adjustable Swedish Gastric Band) OBTECH, Johnson and Johnson, with Dr. Javier de la Garza, 2003.

• Certification in Bariatric Surgery (Lap-Band Techniques) Bioenterics with Pr. GBCardiere, Brussels, Belgium 2002.

• Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery Course, European Centre for Laparoscopic Surgery, Brussels, Belgium 2002

• Laparoscopic Surgery Seminar, University of Nice-Sofia-Antipolis in the city of Nice, France 1994.

• Laparoscopic Training Seminar and Course, at the Laveran Armees Hospital, Marseille, France 1992.

• Certification of Preparatory Studies for the Specialty of General Surgery, University of Aix-Marseille II, 1990.

• 37th Congress of the Dominican College of Surgeons, “Metabolic Surgery “Where we are today” Punta Cana, DR 2019. Faculty.

• CSTAR International Cosmetic Surgery Travel and Recovery. “Bariatric Surgery Abroad” New York, USA. Exhibitor

• XVII Congress of the Latin American Diabetes Association ALAD, “Metabolic Surgery in Diabetes” Nov 2019. Faculty.

• LAF Latinoamerican Forum, Masters in Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, Boston, 2018. Faculty

• Summer Congress of the College of Surgeons, Bávaro, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic 2018. Metabolic Surgery, Speaker.

• 15th Medical Scientific Conference Dr. Juan Manuel Taveras. Metabolic Surgery. Sto Dgo 2017. Faculty

• XXI International Congress of the Dominican College of Surgeons CDC. “Metabolic Surgery, Where We Are Today” Bavaro Punta Cana, DR. 2016. Faculty

• Latin American Forum 2017. Updates in Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery, Orlando, FL, August 2017.

• XIV Medical Scientific Conference Dr. Juan Manuel Taveras. Bariatric Surgery and Cancer. Sto Dgo 2016. Faculty

• Latin American Forum 2016, Texas Medical Center, Houston, TX. USA, June 2016.

• IFSO 2015. International Federation for Obesity Surgery and Metabolic Disorders. Vienna, Austria. August 2015.

• Train the Trainers – Bariatric Surgeons, March 2015, Johnson and Johnson Institute Medical Innovation, Sao Paulo, Brazil 2015.

• FELAC (Latin American Federation of Laparoscopy) Congress. And the 21st Congress of the Dominican College of Surgeons. “There is a place for the duodenal switch after gastric bypass failure.” June 2015. Faculty

• Latinamerican Forum Master 2015, Joseph B. Martin Conference Center at Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. June 2015. Faculty

• 1st Caribbean Congress on Eating Disorders and Bariatric Psychology. Bavaro, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Nov 2014. Faculty

• XIX World Congress International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders IFSO 2014.

• XX International Congress of the Dominican College of Surgeons CDC. Bavaro Punta Cana, DR. 2014 Faculty

– “Dark Side of Bariatric Surgery Part 2”.

– What to do for weight gain after gastric sleeve surgery.

• 1st Forum on Advances in Metabolic Surgery, Bogota, Colombia, Oct 2013.

• XIX International Congress of the Dominican College of Surgeons: Metabolic Surgery in Non-Obese Patients. July 2012. Faculty

• TOP GUN ADVANCED BARIATRIC SURGERY SUMMIT. May 2012. Bogotá, Colombia.

• XI Latin American Congress on Obesity and 1st Dominican Congress on Bariatric Surgery, Metabolic Surgery in Non-Obese Patients. Bávaro, Dominican Republic. Sept. 2012. Faculty

• 10th Medical-Scientific Conference Dr. Juan Manuel Taveras, CEDIMAT. Keynote Lecture: Metabolic Surgery in the treatment of Type II Diabetes Mellitus. Faculty

• American Society of Laparoscopic and Endoscopic Surgery Annual Meeting SAGES 2012. San Diego, CA, USA

– Laparoscopic Colon Surgery Course.

– Metabolic Surgery Course for Type 2 Diabetes.

• 2012 American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Annual Meeting. ASMBS San Diego, CA, USA

– Course on Managing Complications in Bariatric Surgery.

– Course on Endoscopic Therapeutics applied to complications of Bariatric Surgery.

• Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery: Building the Future. Summit 2011, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Panelist and Instructor.

• IV Latin American Congress of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery, Cartagena, Colombia, March 2011.

• XI National Summer Congress 2011, Dominican College of Surgeons “Gastrointestinal Surgery and Diabetes. What have we learned?” Faculty

• Experience in the management of leaks, fistulas and dehiscences in bariatric surgeries at CEDIMAT.

• Review of the first 1000 cases of Bariatric Surgery at the Bariatric Institute.

• Annual Congress of the American Society of Bariatric Surgery and

• Metabolic ASMBS 2011. Miami. FL. USA

– Natural Orifice Surgery Course NOTES

– Metabolic Surgery to treat type 2 Diabetes.

• Dr. Juan Manuel Taveras. Comparison of Gastric Bypass vs. Sleeve Gastrectomy for weight loss and effectiveness in controlling associated comorbidities at CEDIMAT. Sept. 2010. Faculty

• 18th International Congress of the College of Surgeons. Update on the management of complications in bariatric surgery. Bávaro, Dominican Republic. July 2010. Speaker

• VII Dr. Juan Manuel Taveras Conference on Advanced Minimally Invasive Surgery. DJB-SG Metabolic Surgery, a new solution for Type II Diabetes. San Francisco de Macorís, Sept. 2009. Faculty

• Laparoscopic Bariatric Gastric Banding, American College of Surgeons, 58th Annual Meeting, San Juan, Puerto Rico, February 2008. Faculty.

• BEST Bariatric Endoscopic Surgery Trends. Complications in Videolaparoscopic Bariatric Surgery – Diagnosis and Treatment of Complications in Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgery, Puerto Alegre, Brazil. August 2007. Faculty.

• IV Medical-Scientific Conference Dr. Juan Manuel Taveras Rodríguez: Technology of the Future. Presentation of Surgical Technique: Phobia Surgery. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, July 2006. Faculty.

• VII Latin American Congress of Endoscopic Surgery. “Bariatric Surgery in the Caribbean.” Miami, FL. July 2006. Speaker.

• 8th Roundtable Conference on Bariatric Surgery. Summer Congress of the Dominican College of Surgeons. July 2005. Faculty.

• III Medical Scientific Conference Dr. Juan Manuel Taveras Rodríguez. March 2005. Faculty.

• 10th French Congress of Laparoscopic Surgery (SFCL). Experience in the first 100 cases of surgery, Bariatric Institute. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, January 2005. Speaker

• Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: Case Series A 120. Presented at the XXV South-East Session, Marseille, January 1995. Speaker

• Mitie: Houston Methodist Institute for Technology Innovation & Education. LAF Masters. LatinAmerican Forum Masters. Houston, Texas, June 2016.

• Dominican Association for the Study of Obesity ASODEO. “Metabolic Surgery and DM II: Advantages and Disadvantages” La Romona, DR, July 2016. Faculty

• XXV Central American and Caribbean Congress of Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy. Punta Cana, DR 2015. Speaker.

• 21st Congress of the Latin American Federation of Surgery (FELAC). “There is a place for BPD due to the failure of GBP.” Bavaro, Punta Cana, DR. June 2015.

• Metabolic Surgery: State of the art 2014. Obesity Week. American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Boston, MA. November 2014.

• Nutrition I and II in Bariatric Patients. Obesity Week ASMBS. Boston, MA. November.

• IFSO World Congress 2014. Montreal, Canada. August 2014.

• Endoscopic Bariatric Procedure

• Dominican College of Surgeons Congress CDC. Dark Side of Bariatric Surgery II. Bávaro, Dominican Republic. June 2014 Faculty

• Gastroenterology Conference: Surgical Treatment of GERD. Moderator. Dominican Society of Gastroenterology. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, May 2014.

• LAF Latin American Forum Celebration, Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery. Orlando, FL. January 2014.

• 30th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). Obesity Week. Atlanta, Georgia. November 2013.

• 1st Forum on Advances in Metabolic Surgery. Speaker. Bogotá, Colombia. October 2013.

• LAF (Latin American Forum). Speaker: Bleeding in Bariatric Surgery. Celebration. Nickelson Center. Orlando, FL. August 2013. Faculty

• IFSO Latin American. Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Cusco, Peru, May 2013.

• American Society of Laparoscopic and Endoscopic Surgery Annual Meeting SAGES 2012. San Diego, CA, USA

• XI Latin American Congress on Obesity and 1st Dominican Congress on Bariatric Surgery, Bávaro, Dominican Republic, Sept. 2012

• 2012 American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Annual Meeting. ASMBS San Diego, CA, USA

• XXII World Congress of Endoscopic Surgery. SAGES 2010, April 2010.

– Postgraduate Course in Bariatric Surgery: New technologies, Reviews,

• Endoluminal and single port access surgery.

– Postgraduate Course in Bariatric Surgery around the world.

– Hands on Endoluminal/NOTES Lab.

– Metabolic Surgery Symposium: Current status.

• Advanced Bariatric Surgery: Plenary Session, Controversies in Bariatric Surgery. San Diego, CA. June 2007.

• 2nd International Congress on Endoscopic Surgery. Experience with the first 180 cases of minimally invasive bariatric surgery. Bariatric Institute. Havana, Cuba. November 2005.

• XVI Pan-American Congress of Endocrinology. Bariatric Surgery. To whom, how and when. Bávaro, Dominican Republic, 2005.

• 89th Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons, 2003.

• European Congress of Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery. Brussels, Belgium. 2002.

• XIX. Assembly of the Federation of Latin American Hospitals, Santo Domingo, 1996.

• 96th French Congress of Surgery, Paris, France, 1994.

• XXV Session of South-East Surgery, Marseille, France, January 1995.

• XVI Pathological Session of Digestive Surgery and Video Laparoscopy, Nice. February 1994.

• First Session of Pediatric Surgery of La Timone, Marseille, France 1993.

• First Medical-Surgical Meeting on Hepatogastroenteritis, Marseille, France, November 1993.

• 95th French Congress of Surgery, Paris. October 1993.

• Digestive Surgery Surgical Session, Surgical Dr. FEKETE, Xavier Bichat Faculty of Medicine, Paris, France, April 1993.

• XXIII South-East Surgical Session, Marseille, France 1991.

• XXII South-East Surgical Session, Marseille, France 1990.

• Third Annual Thoracic Imaging Session, Marseille, France 1990.

• Thesis advisor: Recurrence of Obesity in Patients Undergoing Bariatric Surgery at CEDIMAT, 2007-2008. UNIBE, Santo Domingo, DR. 2016

• Thesis advisor: “Postoperative complications in bariatric and metabolic surgery patients at CEDIMAT.” Period from 2013 to 2015. UNIBE Santo Domingo, DR. 2016.

• Thesis advisor: “Bariatric Surgery vs. Medical Treatment in Metabolic Control of Overweight Diabetic Patients at CEDIMAT.” 2009–2013. UNIBE, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. 2015

• Thesis advisor: “Postoperative complications in bariatric and metabolic surgery patients at CEDIMAT.” Period January 2012–January 2013. UNIBE, December 2013

• Thesis advisor: “Metabolic Changes in Patients with Restrictive Bariatric Surgery versus Malabsorptive/Mixed Surgery 5 Years After the Procedure, at Cedimat”, Period January 2006-December 2011. Santo Domingo, DR September 2013.

• Thesis advisor: “Clinical-Surgical Profile of Patients Undergoing Bariatric Surgery at Cedimat.” January-June 2011, Santo Domingo, DR; March 2012.

• Thesis advisor: “Left atrial diameter pre and post bariatric surgery in obese patients who received care at a selected private center in the city of Santo Domingo, DR Period August 2005 – August 2009” September 2012.

• Thesis advisor: “Left atrial enlargement in obese patients receiving care at a selected private center in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.” During the period August 2005–August 2009. March 2011.

• Research: Surgical Resolution of Type 2 Diabetes Study. Currently in the final phase of execution, for publication.

• Research: Endoscopic gastric plication study, CEDIMAT. July 2012.

• Research: Endoscopic stoma reduction study, CEDIMAT. July 2012.

• Research: Vyscera SPP Study: Safety and Efficacy of the Vyscera Weight Loss System in Achieving Preoperative Weight Loss in Morbidly Obese Patients Prior to Gastric Bypass Surgery; “A Feasibility Study,” 2012.

• Research: Apollo Endosurgery Transgastric Peritoneal Access System Clinical Study. 2008.

• Thesis: “Partial Hepatectomy with Resection of the Inferior Vena Cava, University of Aix-Marseille II, Marseille, France.

• Research: Rare liver tumor: malignant fibrous histiocytoma. Literature review of clinical and therapeutic aspects. Case presentation. Presented at the 25th South-East Session, Marseille, January 1995.

• Research: Problems encountered in the replacement of the suprarenal vena cava during partial hepatectomy. Two observations. Presented at the 25th South-East Session, Marseille, January 1995.

• Research: Initial study of postoperative tomography in pneumectomized patients – Third Annual Session of Thoracic Imaging, Marseille, 1990.

• Honorary Professor of Medical Residency Programs in the Health Sciences Area. Santo Domingo Technological Institute INTEC, Santo Domingo. April 2018

• Recognition by the Ministry of Public Health at the 2nd Scientific Conference Santo Domingo June 2018 “Approach to Obesity from Different Perspectives” Speaker, June 2018

• Outstanding Graduate Award in the Areas of Health Sciences from the Santo Domingo Technological Institute INTEC, 2013

• Recognition from 110 Magazine for his career and dedication to service. January 2013.

• FONDOCYT Competition Award for Scientific Research Papers on the topic: Surgical Resolution of Type 2 Diabetes. MESCYT. 2009.

• Dr. Juan Manuel Taveras Rodríguez Quality and Service Award for his positive attitude, vocation for service, and practice of values

• institutional in a constant and enthusiastic manner, CEDIMAT. December 2009.

• Juan Manuel Taveras Rodríguez Award for the Implementation of Advanced Surgical Techniques and Collaboration in Professional Training. December 2006.

• Management Practice Certificate. GE Healthcare. Nov. 2005.

• Award for the First Center with Total Patient Care for Bariatric Patients in Central America and the Caribbean. Johnson & Johnson. 2004.

Native Language: Spanish

Other LanguagesFrench – Excellent, fluent and accurate. Efficient, reading and writing skills.

English – Good listener, speaker and writer.