Gastrointestinal (GI) Surgery
UCLA Health GI surgeons lead the nation in advanced, minimally invasive techniques. Our dedicated team is skilled at treating all GI conditions. We deliver exceptional surgical care and comprehensive support.
UCLA Health Excellence in Gastrointestinal (GI) Surgery
At UCLA Health, our GI surgeons are at the forefront of the latest procedures to treat conditions affecting the GI tract. Our team offers minimally invasive (laparoscopic and robotic) and open (traditional) surgical options.
We treat noncancerous (benign) and cancerous (malignant) GI conditions. As leaders in GI surgery, we specialize in innovative techniques and deliver customized care. Highlights of our program include:
Specialty expertise: Our outstanding GI surgeons are experts in their respective fields, including surgical oncology, benign foregut surgery, hernia care and bariatric surgery. This specialized experience enables us to meet your needs and offer high-quality, individualized care.
Minimally invasive options: Whenever possible, we use minimally invasive techniques that require fewer stitches and less recovery time. We are skilled at robotic-assisted surgery, laparoscopic techniques and endoscopic procedures.
Nationally recognized bariatric surgery program: UCLA Health is a Center of Excellence in bariatric surgery for adults and adolescents. Only a handful of bariatric surgery programs in the country have earned this distinction. Our operations involve fewer complications, and our patients achieve greater weight loss than the national average.
Multispecialty approach: Our GI surgeons work closely with UCLA Health experts in other specialties, including oncology and GI nutrition, to deliver comprehensive care. If you need bariatric surgery, your care team will include dietitians and other experts at the UCLA Health Center for Obesity and METabolic Health (COMET). We work together to help you thrive after surgery.
World-renowned programs: People from around the globe come to UCLA Health to receive advanced surgical treatments from our dedicated team. Our GI surgeons are recognized leaders in hernia repair techniques, colorectal procedures and GI cancer surgery.
Find Your Care
UCLA Health GI surgeons specialize in providing world-class surgical care using the latest technology. Call 310-794-7788 to connect with our Westwood office or
310-319-4080 for our Santa Monica office.
Our Specialties
As leaders in GI surgery, we specialize in all areas of the GI tract. Our experts treat benign and malignant GI conditions using state-of-the-art technology and advanced techniques. Our specialties include:
Surgical oncology
We are skilled at treating all types of GI cancer, including stomach, gallbladder, esophageal and liver cancer. Our experienced surgeons offer the full spectrum of minimally invasive and open surgical procedures. We use robotic-assisted, laparoscopic and endoscopic techniques to remove tumors precisely while sparing healthy surrounding tissue.
Colorectal surgery
UCLA Health colorectal surgeons lead the nation in innovative surgical procedures to treat all colorectal conditions. We specialize in minimally invasive colorectal surgery techniques to treat all types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. You can trust our experts to provide the highest level of surgical care.
Bariatric (weight loss) surgery
We offer advanced bariatric surgery procedures to treat adults and adolescents with obesity. Our bariatric surgery outcomes are better than the national average, with fewer complications and shorter hospital stays.
Following surgery, our patients achieve greater weight loss than the national average. When you come to us, you’ll have a team of experts working with you before and after surgery to deliver comprehensive care and support.
UCLA Health is an American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) accredited center in bariatric surgery for adults and adolescents. Only 2% of bariatric surgery programs in the nation hold this distinction from the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).
If you need bariatric surgery, your care team will include dietitians and other experts at the UCLA Health Center for Obesity and METabolic Health (COMET).
Hernia and abdominal wall reconstruction surgery
People from all over the world come to the Lichtenstein Amid Hernia Institute at UCLA Health to receive the highest quality hernia care. As the first dedicated hernia center in the nation, the Lichtenstein Amid Hernia Institute is internationally recognized for expertise in abdominal wall and hernia surgery. We’re also a referral center for complicated cases and revision surgery. Our extensive experience results in better outcomes for our patients.
Our skilled GI surgeons are renowned for delivering effective surgical treatments for common, rare and complex types of hernias. UCLA Health GI surgeons developed innovative surgical techniques now used worldwide to repair hernias.
Our unmatched expertise includes the entire spectrum of hernia repair and abdominal wall surgery. We offer robot-assisted, laparoscopic and open techniques. We are skilled at delicate repair procedures that preserve nerve function and reduce pain following surgery. Our techniques also lower the chances of complications or the condition coming back. In addition, we’re among the world leaders in relieving pain after inguinal (groin) hernia repair.
Foregut surgery
Our skilled surgeons offer advanced treatments for all upper GI tract conditions. Also called the foregut, the upper GI tract includes the esophagus, stomach, pancreas, liver and bile ducts, which move digestive juices through the body.
At the world-renowned UCLA Health Robert G. Kardashian Center for Esophageal Health, our GI surgeons treat a wide range of conditions, including acid reflux, cholelithiasis, gastroparesis, hiatal hernia and other esophageal disorders. We also specialize in minimally invasive treatments for swallowing disorders such as achalasia. You can expect the highest level of care from a team of specially trained and experienced surgeons.
Conditions We Treat
UCLA Health GI surgeons have experience with the full spectrum of conditions, from common to complex. We are also skilled at helping people with rare disorders, providing innovative surgical techniques not available elsewhere. Some of the conditions we treat include:
- Colorectal conditions: Our surgeons treat all conditions affecting the colon (large intestine), small intestine, rectum and anus. We provide minimally invasive and open surgery to treat bowel obstructions, colon polyps and IBD. Our team also offers expert treatment for diverticulosis (small pouch-like growths in the colon) and diverticulitis (when the growths become inflamed or infected).
- GI cancer: We treat cancer that develops anywhere along the digestive tract, including esophageal, stomach, pancreatic, colon and rectal cancer. We also treat bile duct, liver and gallbladder cancer.
- Hernias: At our high-volume hernia care program, our experienced surgeons treat even the most complex and rare hernia types, including groin, ventral, incisional, flank, perineal, pelvic, lumbar and diaphragmatic hernias. We also treat parastomal hernias, which occur when tissue bulges out of a stoma (an opening doctors create to remove waste from the body).
- Hiatal hernia: We specialize in treating hiatal hernia, which occurs when the upper part of the stomach bulges up through the diaphragm. This condition can lead to reflux, difficulty swallowing, stomach ulcers and mechanical obstruction (blockage) in the digestive tract.
- Obesity: This medical condition is commonly defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher. We treat adults and adolescents with obesity using advanced bariatric surgery techniques. We also help people avoid conditions that often occur along with obesity, including type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease and high blood pressure (hypertension).
- Upper GI tract disorders: You can expect outstanding surgical care for all conditions affecting the foregut. We offer minimally invasive and surgical options for gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD, or acid reflux) and Barrett’s esophagus (esophageal damage from acid reflux). We also provide expert care for gallstones and biliary dyskinesia, which affects how your gallbladder moves bile (digestive juice) to the bile ducts.
GI Surgeries We Offer
You can trust UCLA Health to deliver the highest level of surgical care using advanced technology and equipment. Our GI surgeons have pioneered techniques that are now used around the world. As experts in GI surgery, we offer a wide range of procedures and approaches. Some of the most common surgical treatments we offer are:
Bariatric surgery
Our team offers effective bariatric surgery techniques, including gastric sleeve surgery, gastric bypass surgery and lap band removal. We use minimally invasive approaches whenever possible. We are accredited by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation (ASMBS).
GERD surgery
We offer the LINX® Reflux Management System, which uses a ring of tiny magnets to treat acid reflux. It prevents acid and bile from flowing from the stomach into the esophagus. We also offer Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication (TIF), which tightens the valve between the esophagus and the stomach. We perform TIF through the mouth using an endoscope.
Hernia repair
Most patients go home the same day after hernia repair surgery. UCLA Health surgeons pioneered the Lichtenstein tension-free hernia repair, an approach that uses surgical mesh to cover the opening of the hernia, reducing the risk of complications. We offer minimally invasive laparoscopic and robotic options for hernia repair and abdominal wall reconstruction.
Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM)
Our team uses POEM to treat achalasia, a swallowing disorder. This procedure releases tight muscles in the esophagus to make it easier for you to swallow. We perform POEM through the mouth using an endoscope.
Tumor resection
Our team offers a range of techniques to remove benign and cancerous growths. We use minimally invasive procedures whenever possible. Robotic surgery techniques enable us to remove tumors while sparing healthy surrounding tissue.
Ulcerative colitis surgery
We are skilled at several surgical procedures to treat colitis and other types of IBD. Our team specializes in the J-pouch procedure. The surgeon removes the colon and rectum. Then they use the end of the small intestine to create a “pouch” and attach it to the anus.
While the pouch heals, you’ll have a stoma, an opening in your abdomen that allows waste to flow from the small intestine into an ostomy bag. After the pouch has healed, we perform another surgery to close the stoma and restore bowel function.
Minimally Invasive GI Surgery Techniques
Your surgeon will recommend the most appropriate surgery based on your health, the condition to be treated and many other factors. Our team performs open surgery, which requires a larger incision and allows your surgeon to access a bigger area. We also specialize in minimally invasive techniques, such as:
Endoscopic surgery
We perform many types of endoscopic surgery. Your surgeon guides an endoscope (a long, flexible tube) through one of your body’s natural openings (either the mouth or anus). The endoscope has a small camera on the end. Then, your surgeon performs surgery through the endoscope using tiny tools. Because these techniques don’t require incisions, recovery time is usually shorter than other procedures.
Laparoscopic procedures
This minimally invasive technique uses just a few small incisions, so it typically involves less recovery time. The surgeon guides a thin tool called a laparoscope through one of the incisions. The end of the laparoscope has a tiny camera that allows your surgeon to see organs inside your body. Your surgeon then guides small instruments through the other incisions to perform surgery.
Robotic-assisted surgery
Robotic arms hold tiny surgical tools. Your surgeon controls the arms and instruments from a nearby console. This technology lets your surgeon perform precise operations through a few small incisions. Our team uses robotic-assisted techniques to deliver accurate results without damaging healthy surrounding tissue.
Meet Our Team
Contact us
We provide comprehensive surgical care for a spectrum of conditions. Call 310-794-7788 to connect with our Westwood office or 310-319-4080 for our Santa Monica office.