Photo Credit: Photo courtesy of Dr. Lalezai

Dr. Sepehr Lalezari completed a bariatric and minimally invasive surgery fellowship (specialty training) at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore, MD, and is now opening an advanced bariatric and minimally invasive general surgery practice in Los Angeles where he grew up. At Johns Hopkins, he learned the most cutting-edge procedures such as single-site surgery, robotic and endoscopic surgery truly incision-less surgery, he called it. Training at JHU was an honor and has put him in a unique position when starting a private practice. Haute MD chats with Dr. Lalezari to learn more about Laparoscopic Hiatal Hernia repair, the surgery to correct gastroesophageal reflux. 

HB: What is a Laparoscopic Hiatal Hernia repair?

Laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair is the surgery to correct gastroesophageal reflux or acid reflux. Reflux is mainly treated medically with lifelong medications which are really only meant to be short term medications. In some cases reflux is caused by a mechanical breakdown of the body’s barriers to reflux which needs a surgical procedure to correct.

HB: How does a Laparoscopic Hiatal Hernia Repair work?

Reflux surgery works to restore the body’s normal anatomic barriers to reflux. After testing it may be determined if reflux can be cured by surgery.

Photo Credit: Photo courtesy of Dr. Lalezari

HB: How do you work as a team with the patient to achieve the desired results?

My team and I work closely with patients to determine the best approach to deal with their problem. Sometimes bad reflux is a result of being overweight/obese and a weight loss surgery is better suited to resolve the symptoms of reflux. As a specialist in this field, I have the ability to address problems with the surgery best suited for the patient.

HB: What is the cost of this procedure?

The surgery is usually covered by most insurances.

HB: Does it require more than 1 session/appointment?

Only one surgery is required and the patients usually go home within 23hrs from surgery. Recovery is about 2weeks. Most people do not experience much pain after the first 3days and are back to their normal activities within a week from surgery.