The St. George Obesity Surgery Clinic was founded by Dr. Loi in 2007. Over the last two decades, the practice has become one of Australia’s leading clinic hubs for bariatric and upper gastrointestinal surgery. The clinic has always prided itself in being at the forefront of bariatric management, aiding countless patients in their weight loss journey.
Ken was a generational surgeon who was exceptional in his craft and was well-loved by all patients. He was also a deeply cherished member of the bariatric community both locally and worldwide. The strong foundation of The St. George Obesity Surgery Clinic is a testament to his unwavering commitment to the pursuit of excellence and the quality of care to his patients. In addition to his strong clinical ethos, Ken was an avid teacher who devoted his life to continuous education and mentorship.
Ken’s surgical practice spanned more than ten thousand procedures covering primary and revisional bariatric operations and managing benign and malignant upper gastrointestinal diseases. His expertise in bariatric surgery was instrumental in setting up the first Australian Centre of Excellence in St George Private Hospital. He was also accredited with the status of Master Surgeon in Bariatric Surgery based on his extensive scope of bariatric cases.
Beyond his surgical practice, he was a regular speaker at both international and national conferences and has published widely in high-impact peer-review journals relating to bariatric and hernia surgery. Ken devoted his life to strongly advocating bariatric surgery and was heavily involved with national and international bariatric organisations. During his time as honorary treasurer of ANZMOSS, he was a key member in helping set up the Bariatric Surgical Registry in Australia and assisting the government in developing the public Medicare-funded bariatric service.
Being of an Asian background, Ken maintained a strong commitment and passion for developing bariatric surgery within the Asian Pacific region. He had worked tirelessly within the IFSO-APC committee for more than a decade in helping set up and grow bariatric services within Asia. Prior to his passing, Ken was President-Elect for IFSO-APC and was in line to become the next IFSO-APC president from 2023 until 2025.
His other major achievements include being the first Asian Chair for RACS-NSW (2019-2021) and being an executive member of RACS (Royal Australasian College of Surgeons) for more than ten years. A substantial part of his role in the college was devoted to advancing diversity within RACS and being part of the Surgical Sustainability Working Party in helping shape the next generation of surgeons. During COVID-19, he was also tasked with leading the college within New South Wales in responding to the management of the COVID crisis through the Community of Surgery Practice.
Beyond bariatric surgery, Ken also had a strong passion for hernia surgery and played a key role in setting up the ANZ Hernia Society. He held the position of executive secretary and was heavily involved with the education and publication of advanced minimally invasive hernia surgery. This included hosting the regularly held Hernia Society journal club while playing an integral role in helping set up the pilot hernia surgery registry.
We bid farewell to a remarkable surgeon and human being, Dr. Ken Loi. In memory of his passing, The St George Obesity Surgery Clinic will continue to celebrate and carry on all the brilliant work that he has done for the surgical community. As we enter a new era in practice, Ken has placed his trust in Dr. Qiuye Cheng to ensure that new and existing patients will continue to experience the same level of holistic care and dedication to their surgical management.
