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Dr. William D. Fuller, MD

Accepting New Patients

(86 Ratings)

Specializes in: Bariatric Surgery and General Surgery

University of Maryland School of Medicine (1999)

Professional interests include: laparoscopic surgery, robotic surgery, weight loss surgery (bariatric surgery)

4060 FOURTH AVENUE SUITE 330
SAN DIEGO, CA 92103

(619) 391-2283

Dr. William D. Fuller, MD is a bariatric surgeon in SAN DIEGO, CA specializing in bariatric surgery and general surgery. He graduated from University of Maryland School of Medicine in 1999 and has 27 years of experience. Dr. William D. Fuller, MD is affiliated with Scripps Clinic, Scripps Mercy Hospital Chula Vista, Scripps Health, Scripps Green Hospital and Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego.

Office Locations

4060 FOURTH AVENUE SUITE 330
SAN DIEGO, CA 92103

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12395 El Camino Real
San Diego, CA 92130

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10710 N Torrey Pines Road
La Jolla, CA 92037

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Some issues Dr. William D. Fuller, MD can help you with:

Laparoscopic Surgery

Laparoscopic surgery is a kind of minimally invasive surgery using a thin, narrow tube called a laparoscope. Usually performed on the abdomen or the pelvic region, the surgeon makes a few very small incisions instead of one large one.

During the procedure, the surgeon inserts the laparoscope, which contains a light and camera that allows the surgeon to see what is happening inside the body. Then tiny tools are placed through the small openings and used to perform the surgery.

The most common laparoscopic surgery is gallbladder removal, but laparoscopic surgery may also be used for the removal of a kidney or appendix, to treat certain cysts and tumors, for bariatric surgery, for some GERD treatments, or for hernia repairs, among others.

Because laparoscopic surgery only uses a few tiny incisions, the scars are minimal and recovery is easier than with open surgery.

Robotic Surgery

Robotic surgery is a type of minimally invasive surgery, using a tiny opening to get inside the body instead of making a large cut. It uses small tools attached to a thin robotic arm, which is controlled by the surgeon. Robotic surgery may be referred to by the specific kind of robot that is used. The most advanced robot currently in use is called the da Vinci, and surgery using it is sometimes called da Vinci surgery.

There are many benefits to robotic surgery, both for the patient and the surgeon. Robotic surgery allows for more precise movements and increased control during very delicate surgical procedures. This makes performing surgery accurately much easier for surgeons and reduces fatigue. The smaller 'hand' of the robot can enter the body via a much smaller opening, which reduces the risk of infection and scarring and leads to a faster recovery. The robotic hands also contain tiny moveable cameras among their tools, giving surgeons a much closer view of the procedure than would be possible with traditional surgery.

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.

In The News

“San Diego bariatric surgeon William Fuller, MD, said Scripps Mercy Hospital, one of the largest programs on the West Coast, will have performed around 800 bariatric surgeries in 2024, down from the...”—"Bariatric Surgeons Being Put Out of Work by GLP-1 Drugs", MedPage Today, December 2024

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2012 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. William D. Fuller, MD treated as a bariatric surgeon in SAN DIEGO, CA during 2012 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	128
hospital care	38
inpatient care	38

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2013 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. William D. Fuller, MD treated as a bariatric surgeon in SAN DIEGO, CA during 2013 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	145
hospital care	17
inpatient care	17

2013 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD.

**Gender**
Male	71
Female	57

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	100
Black	0
Hispanic	13
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	59
From 75 to 84	26
85 and over	11
Less than 65	32

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD in 2013

Hypertension	60
High Cholesterol	59
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	31
Depression	30
Chronic Kidney Disease	28
Asthma	9
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	17
Heart Failure	15
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	13
Diabetes	38
Dementia	9
Cancer	0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2014 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. William D. Fuller, MD treated as a bariatric surgeon in SAN DIEGO, CA during 2014 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	185
hospital care	13
inpatient care	13

2014 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD.

**Gender**
Male	69
Female	68

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	111
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	67
From 75 to 84	33
85 and over	12
Less than 65	25

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD in 2014

Hypertension	70
High Cholesterol	54
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	30
Depression	31
Chronic Kidney Disease	28
Asthma	10
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	17
Heart Failure	22
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	11
Diabetes	32
Dementia	10
Cancer	10

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2015 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. William D. Fuller, MD treated as a bariatric surgeon in SAN DIEGO, CA during 2015 were debridement (removal of unhealthy tissue), excision, hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD for Medicare patients.

debridement (removal of unhealthy tissue)	49
doctor visit	161
excision	49
hospital care	16
inpatient care	16

2015 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD.

**Gender**
Male	156
Female	148

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	244
Black	0
Hispanic	34
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	136
From 75 to 84	74
85 and over	28
Less than 65	66

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD in 2015

Hypertension	66
High Cholesterol	54
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	34
Depression	35
Chronic Kidney Disease	34
Asthma	13
Osteoperosis	9
Atrial Fibrilation	15
Heart Failure	21
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	18
Diabetes	35
Dementia	15
Cancer	11

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2016 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. William D. Fuller, MD treated as a bariatric surgeon in SAN DIEGO, CA during 2016 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	154
hospital care	38
inpatient care	38

2016 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD.

**Gender**
Male	60
Female	77

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	116
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	73
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	29

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD in 2016

Hypertension	64
High Cholesterol	47
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	26
Depression	31
Chronic Kidney Disease	25
Asthma	15
Osteoperosis	8
Atrial Fibrilation	12
Heart Failure	13
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	15
Diabetes	28
Dementia	0
Cancer	12

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2017 Medicare Procedure Volume

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	103

2017 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD.

**Gender**
Male	59
Female	58

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	94
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	56
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	26

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD in 2017

Hypertension	64
High Cholesterol	46
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	30
Depression	33
Chronic Kidney Disease	36
Asthma	9
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	13
Heart Failure	15
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	10
Diabetes	34
Dementia	0
Cancer	14

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2018 Medicare Procedure Volume

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	97

2018 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD.

**Gender**
Male	45
Female	61

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	89
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	49
From 75 to 84	28
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD in 2018

Hypertension	65
High Cholesterol	47
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	31
Depression	35
Chronic Kidney Disease	33
Asthma	11
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	11
Heart Failure	17
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	21
Diabetes	33
Dementia	0
Cancer	12

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2019 Medicare Procedure Volume

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	90

2019 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD.

**Gender**
Male	68
Female	40

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	82
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	49
From 75 to 84	31
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD in 2019

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	56
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	31
Depression	23
Chronic Kidney Disease	42
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	16
Heart Failure	21
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	16
Diabetes	46
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2020 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. William D. Fuller, MD treated as a bariatric surgeon in SAN DIEGO, CA during 2020 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	64
hospital care	26
inpatient care	26

2020 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD.

**Gender**
Male	62
Female	48

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	85
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	56
From 75 to 84	25
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD in 2020

Hypertension	64
High Cholesterol	54
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	35
Depression	29
Chronic Kidney Disease	40
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	15
Heart Failure	19
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	35
Dementia	10
Cancer	11

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2021 Medicare Procedure Volume

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	60

2021 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD.

**Gender**
Male	43
Female	39

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	54
Black	11
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	41
From 75 to 84	23
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD in 2021

Hypertension	63
High Cholesterol	52
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	27
Depression	32
Chronic Kidney Disease	29
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	15
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	35
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2022 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. William D. Fuller, MD treated as a bariatric surgeon in SAN DIEGO, CA during 2022 were minimally invasive procedures, abdominal surgery and gastrointestinal procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD for Medicare patients.

abdominal surgery	11
doctor visit	67
gastrointestinal procedures	11
minimally invasive procedures	11

2022 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD.

**Gender**
Male	40
Female	46

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	55
Black	13
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	42
From 75 to 84	23
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD in 2022

Hypertension	70
High Cholesterol	75
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	23
Depression	31
Chronic Kidney Disease	20
Asthma	14
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	20
Heart Failure	16
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	30
Dementia	0
Cancer	19

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2023 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. William D. Fuller, MD treated as a bariatric surgeon in SAN DIEGO, CA during 2023 were minimally invasive procedures, abdominal surgery and gastrointestinal procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD for Medicare patients.

abdominal surgery	25
doctor visit	114
gastrointestinal procedures	25
minimally invasive procedures	25

2023 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD.

**Gender**
Male	69
Female	56

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	95
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	55
From 75 to 84	41
85 and over	13
Less than 65	16

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD in 2023

Hypertension	70
High Cholesterol	69
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	26
Depression	23
Chronic Kidney Disease	28
Asthma	16
Osteoperosis	11
Atrial Fibrilation	20
Heart Failure	18
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	10
Diabetes	34
Dementia	0
Cancer	18

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2012 - 2023

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. William D. Fuller, MD treated as a bariatric surgeon in SAN DIEGO, CA were debridement (removal of unhealthy tissue), excision, hospital care and inpatient care.

abdominal surgery	18
debridement (removal of unhealthy tissue)	49
doctor visit	114
excision	49
gastrointestinal procedures	18
hospital care	24
inpatient care	24
minimally invasive procedures	18

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2012 - 2023

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD.

**Gender**
Female	58
Male	61

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	2
Asian / Pacific Islander	0
Non-Hispanic White	93
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Hispanic	3
Other	0

**Age**
75 to 84	25
85 and over	5
Less than 65	16
65 to 74	56

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD From 2012 - 2023

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. William D. Fuller, MD treated were hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes and chronic kidney disease.

Hypertension	60
High Cholesterol	51
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	27
Depression	27
Chronic Kidney Disease	28
Asthma	8
Osteoporosis	2
Heart Failure	16
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	9
Diabetes	31
Atrial Fibrillation	13
Dementia	3
Cancer	8

Education & Training

Dr. William D. Fuller, MD graduated from University of Maryland School of Medicine in 1999. He completed residency at Georgetown University Medical Center. He is certified by the American Board of Surgery and has a state license in California.

Medical School: University of Maryland School of Medicine (1999)

Residency: Georgetown University Medical Center (2004)

Board Certification: American Board of Surgery

Licensed In: California

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. William D. Fuller, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

Scripps Clinic

Scripps Mercy Hospital Chula Vista

Scripps Health

Scripps Green Hospital

Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego

Ratings & Reviews

Dr. William D. Fuller, MD has an exceptional overall rating with an average of 5.0 out of 5 stars based on 86 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Dr. William D. Fuller, MD from all over the web to help you find the right in SAN DIEGO, CA.

Overall Rating

(86 Ratings)

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General Payments

These charts describe general payments received by Dr. William D. Fuller, MD. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.

**Payments by Company**
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.	$9,215 Da Vinci Surgical System $9,215
Covidien LP	$1,450 LigaSure $587	GI Solutions $525	Valtrac $69	Manometry $54	$215
Ethicon US, LLC	$971 Energy Enseal $176	Biosurgicals $125	ENSEAL Product Family $124	VISTASEAL $88	Band $83	Other $376
Medtronic USA, Inc.	$948 Gastric Neurostimulation $709	Enterra $227	PlasmaBlade $11
Davol Inc.	$782 SURGICAL $644	Phasix Mesh $83	$54
Other	$897 Sonicision $143	ReliaTack $124	QSYMIA $76	PERCUTANEOUS SOLUTIONS: PERCUVANCE & MINILAP BRANDS $66	OviTex Reinforced Bioscaffold With Permanent Polymer (OviTex) $53	Other $437

**Types of Payments**
Education	$5,592
Food and Beverage	$4,082
Travel and Lodging	$3,515
Consulting Fee	$550
Compensation for services other than consulting, including serving as faculty or as a speaker at a venue other than a continuing education program	$525

Biography

Dr. William Fuller is a medical specialist in general surgery and bariatric surgery. Dr. Fuller is conversant in Spanish. He has a special interest in laparoscopic surgery, robotic surgery, and weight loss surgery (bariatric surgery). His hospital/clinic affiliations include Scripps Clinic, Scripps Mercy Hospital Chula Vista, and Scripps Green Hospital. After attending the University of Maryland School of Medicine, he completed his residency training at Georgetown University Medical Center. Patient reviews placed him at an average of 5.0 stars (out of 5). Dr. Fuller has an open panel in San Diego, CA according to Doctor.com.