Editor's Note: Our new Haute MD partner Dr. Sepehr Lalezari gives us an introductory Q&A.
Photo Credit: Dr. Sepehr Lalezari
What is your greatest achievement?
Completion of medical school and the fulfillment of my lifelong dream to become a physician.
How does the future of your field look?
Very exciting, advancements in minimally invasive surgery are enhancing recovery, decreasing complications, decreasing pain, and increasing patient satisfaction. With advancements in robotics, the surgical field has a lot in store.
What is the biggest misconception about your field?
People erroneously believe that bariatric surgery is taking the “easy way out.” This couldn’t be further from the truth. Some physicians may propagate this misconception as a way to entice patients but this is simply not true.
What are your most requested procedures?
My most requested procedures are: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, single incision laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty
What surgical advancements are you most excited about?
Advancements in endoscopic procedures now allow us to perform incision-less surgery and re-create the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy through the mouth with an endoscope. This is a reversible procedure and the recovery time is minimal as there are no incisions.
What are you best known for?
My happy and calm demeanor which most say is not the norm for a surgeon.
What is your most memorable patient reaction?
The patient that sticks out the most was one who was suffering from diabetes, sleep apnea, reflux, depression, and chronic joint pain. The patient couldn’t get to the gym to work out because of the pain. She felt embarrassed to go out in public because of her large size, was on multiple medications and felt miserable and hopeless. After surgery, as the weight came off, her energy levels rose. She became more active. She came off a majority of her medications, and now enjoys her life and goes to the gym almost every day. Before surgery, she felt trapped in her body with no way out and now she feels as though she can do anything and is free from the constraints of her excess weight.
What sets your practice apart?
My practice is a boutique practice and not a surgery mill that simply focuses on operations. My focus is my patients. All my patients see me personally. I follow them closely and engage with them through social media. I am always available for my patients to answer any questions and allay any fears.
What do you love most about your profession?
The impact surgery has on the lives of my patients. It is so rewarding. I love to hear about my patients’ successes and how their lives are completely altered by bariatric surgery. What was once daunting and inconceivable they are now achieving and maintaining.
What was a career-defining procedure for you?
Endoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is one of the newest bariatric procedures and not many perform this complex endoscopic procedure. I am fortunate to have trained at one of the best hospital systems in the world and received world-class training from Johns Hopkins and perform the most advanced and complex procedures available today.
What new services are you excited to offer?
Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (aka accordion procedure) and single-site laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. Although incision sites from laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy heal very well and are hard to see a year after surgery in some patients the surgery can be performed through only one incision or can be done completely without incisions as in the endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty.
For more on Dr. Sepehr Lalezari, visit his Haute MD profile.
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