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Dr. Aaron Cunningham, MD is a pediatric surgeon in Charleston, SC specializing in pediatric surgery. Dr. Aaron Cunningham, MD is affiliated with MUSC Health and MUSC Children's Health Surgery at Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital.
Weight Loss Surgery (Bariatric Surgery)
Bariatric or weight-loss surgery is a surgical procedure performed to help significantly obese patients lose weight when more traditional methods, such as dieting and exercise, have not helped. Depending on the type, these surgeries change the gastrointestinal tract to limit how much food can be eaten and also change how food is absorbed by the body. Of the various bariatric surgeries available, the most common is gastric bypass.
By far the most common of the gastric bypass surgeries is called Roux-en-Y. During this surgery, part of the stomach and small intestine are detached from the gastrointestinal tract, in order to make the tract smaller. The surgeon divides the stomach into two parts. The working stomach, at the end of the esophagus, is now tiny - only the size of a walnut. This makes patients feel full after eating a small amount of food. Then the small intestine is also divided, and after bypassing a section of the small intestine to reduce food absorption, the intestine is attached to the small stomach pouch. The patient now has a working stomach and intestine like before, only much smaller.
Because gastric bypass is used to treat extreme obesity, it can reduce the risk of some of the problems associated with obesity. Gastric bypass can help treat or reduce the risk for such conditions as heart disease, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and type 2 diabetes. However, it is a major surgery and also carries risks itself. Any surgery can lead to infection, bleeding, or blood clots, and weight loss surgery in particular carries risks of leaks in the gastrointestinal system, malnutrition, bowel obstructions, and vomiting.
Typically patients are considered candidates for gastric bypass surgery if they have a BMI greater than 40, or sometimes if they have a BMI between 35 and 40 but are suffering from obesity-related illnesses such as diabetes. The outlook is generally good, with most patients losing between 50-75% of their excess weight in 1-2 years. However, patients must follow strict diet guidelines so that the stomach can heal, starting with no food at all, then followed by a liquid diet for some time. For many severely obese patients who have tried strict diets before without success, gastric bypass surgery is the tool that allows them to finally achieve their weight loss and health goals.
He has a state license in South Carolina.
Licensed In: South Carolina
Dr. Aaron Cunningham, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:
Dr. Aaron Cunningham, MD appears to accept the following insurance providers: Medcost, Aetna Medicare, Cigna Medicare, WellCare, Humana ChoiceCare PPO (Group Health Plan) (through March 31, 2025), Blue Choice Blue Option (Marketplace), United HealthCare, Great West Healthcare (Part of Cigna now), Absolute Total Care Healthy Connections Prime Dual Medicare/Medicaid Plan , Humana Medicare (through March 31, 2025), Cigna, Veterans' Affairs Community Care Network (CCN), Molina Healthcare , Tricare, Coventry, Employers Health Network (EHN), First Health, BCBS Blue Essentials (Marketplace), AllWell by Absolute Total Care, Aetna (Open Choice), First Choice Next, Ambetter from Absolute Total Care (Marketplace) , Blue Cross Blue Shield Planned Administrators, Aetna (Exclusive Choice), First Choice/Select Health (NEIC), Blue Cross Blue Shield State Health Plan for South Carolina, Aetna (Managed Choice), Aetna (Preferred Provider Organization), Blue Cross Blue Shield Federal (FEP), Blue Cross Blue Shield Preferred Blue (PPC), Absolute Total Care (NEIC), Medicare A & B (Traditional Medicare), Clover Health , Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare, Clover Health, Ambetter from Absolute Total Care (Marketplace) and BCBS Blue Essentials (Marketplace).
According to our sources, Dr. Aaron Cunningham, MD accepts the following insurance providers:
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These charts describe general payments received by Dr. Aaron Cunningham, MD. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.
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$275
AtriCure cryoICE cryoSPHERE Cryoablation System $177 |
ATRICURE CRYOICE CRYOABLATION SYSTEM (CRYO2) $98 |
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$100
OPDIVO $100 |
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$21
Creon $21 |
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$11
GENERAL THERAPIES $11 |
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$2
Da Vinci Surgical System $2 |
| $409 |
Dr. Aaron Cunningham's specialties are pediatric cardiothoracic surgery and pediatric general surgery. Dr. Cunningham is affiliated with MUSC Health. Blue California, Coventry, and Employers Health Network seem to be the insurance carriers that Dr. Cunningham accepts. According to Yext, he is currently accepting new patients at his office in Charleston, SC.
