Thomas Byrne, MD

After obtaining his medical degree at The Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin, Ireland, Dr. T Karl Byrne went to The Medical College of Virginia, as a research fellow, and completed his surgical residency there. While a resident at MCV, Dr. Byrne developed an interest in weight loss surgery, under the tutelage of Dr. Harvey Sugerman, a world-renowned surgeon in this specialty. Dr. Byrne, currently the medical director, started the MUSC bariatric surgery program in 1992. He has performed over 5,000 bariatric surgical procedures. Dr. Byrne is board-certified by the American Board of Surgery and is an active member of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, having served on many committees and directed the Masters Course. He enjoys teaching and has won several teaching awards, including a Golden Apple.

Through years at MUSC Dr. Byrne has assembled a robust team and program with the most experienced bariatric advanced practice practitioners, registered dietitians, psychologists, and experts in all areas of bariatric practice at the state-of-the art Ashley River Tower building. In addition to the gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, and duodenal switch, Dr. Byrne and his partner Dr. Pullatt perform complex revisional surgery on patients from other programs. Surgery is only the first step in a total lifestyle transformation; the interdisciplinary team who provides first class aftercare for weight loss surgery patients is critical to our patient’s long term weight maintenance.