Joseph A. Caruana, MD, FACS
Medical Director

Dr. Joseph A. Caruana is the Medical Director of Synergy Bariatrics. He has been performing gastric bypass surgery since June, 2000. In February, 2002, he dedicated his surgical practice exclusively to the surgical management of obesity. He has performed over 2200 gastric bypass surgery procedures to date.

After graduating from Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York, Dr. Caruana completed a residency in surgery at the Erie County Medical Center. He then combined surgery with the education of young surgeons and research at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Buffalo where he eventually held the position of Chief, Surgical Service. Since 1989 he has been in private practice focusing on surgical diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Throughout his career, Dr. Caruana has been recognized for his innovative research. Among others published, he is credited as primary author of several medical journal publications related to gastric bypass surgery and the management of his patients and he has been a distinguished speaker at several medical conferences, including the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery.

Dr. Caruana is a Regular Member of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery, a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and a member of the Central Surgical Association, the American Medical Association, and State and County Medical Societies. He holds specialty board certification from the American Board of Surgery.

James P. Viglianco, MD, FACS
Bariatric Surgeon

Dr. James P. Viglianco contributes several years of bariatric surgery experience to Synergy Bariatrics. He is an advocate of comprehensive patient care and has performed over 1600 weight loss surgery procedures using both open and laparoscopic techniques.

He completed a Bachelors of Science in Zoology at The Ohio State University. After graduating from Marshall University School of Medicine in Huntington, West Virginia, Dr. Viglianco completed a residency in surgery at Mount Carmel Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. He then became a partner in a private general surgery practice where he performed various trauma, endocrine, breast, and gastrointestinal surgeries.

Throughout his education and professional career, Dr. Viglianco has held many leadership positions; including Chairman of the Medical Executive Committee and Department of Surgery in two Columbus based hospitals. Dr. Viglianco has also been a member of several other prestigious committees for operating room and surgical quality assurance. This experience earned his former election to President and Director of the Barix Clinics in Columbus, Ohio. He has participated in research publications and has been presenter of several general and bariatric surgery topics to his peers.

Dr. Viglianco is a Regular Member of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery, a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and a member of the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity, and the American Medical Association. He holds specialty board certification from the American Board of Surgery.

Marc N. McCabe, RPA-C
Surgical Assistant

Marc has been Dr. Caruana’s primary surgical assistant with gastric bypass from the start. He has been working with Dr. Caruana since graduation from D’Youville College in 1999 and helped develop the Synergy Bariatric Surgery Program.

He is President and co-founder with Dr. Caruana of Synergy Health & Fitness Associates, Inc. Synergy's mission is to prepare and assist gastric bypass patients with nutrition information, exercise techniques, and behavior modification ideas for success after weight loss surgery. Marc is a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. He is an Associate Member of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery.