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UC Irvine Healthcare’s bariatric surgery services program, led by board-certified gastrointestinal surgeons, Drs. Ninh T. Nguyen and Kevin Reavis, offers individuals in Orange County and surrounding communities the most advanced minimally invasive laparoscopic techniques and features a multidisciplinary team of experts including surgeons, anesthesiologists, psychologists, dieticians, nurses and patient coordinators.

Dr. Nguyen and Dr. Reavis are experienced in the most advanced weight loss procedures, including the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and the reversible LAP-BAND® technique.

 

 

  Ninh T. Nguyen, M.D.
  Surgeon

Ninh T. Nguyen, M.D., is a specialist in surgeries of the gastrointestinal tract. He is highly experienced in minimally invasive techniques. These include LAP-BAND® and Roux-en-Y bariatric surgeries, staging of esophageal cancer, esophagectomy, fundoplication, resection of gastric stromal tumors and photodynamic therapy.

As a board-certified gastrointestinal surgeon, Dr. Nguyen is a strong advocate of laparoscopy, in which diagnostic and surgical procedures are performed through keyhole incisions rather than large open wounds. In fact, Dr. Nguyen and his colleagues published the first study directly comparing traditional open gastric bypass surgery with newer laparoscopic techniques.

In this study, the UC Irvine Healthcare team showed that laparoscopic patients had less post-operative pain, a lower risk of infection, shorter hospital stays, a faster recovery and a more rapid improvement in quality of life. In addition to the weight loss itself, Dr. Nguyen believes that bariatric surgery has many additional health benefits by lowering a patient’s risks of hypertension, diabetes, apnea and other related problems.

Learn more about Dr. Nguyen »

 

 

  Kevin M. Reavis, M.D.
  Surgeon

Kevin Reavis, M.D., performs bariatric surgery and treats patients with paraesophageal, ventral and inguinal hernias and severe gastroesophageal reflux disease. Dr. Reavis received his medical degree from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN, and completed his residency in general surgery at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, OR. He completed several postgraduate training courses in laparoscopic surgery and recently finished a fellowship in minimally invasive surgery at Ohio State University.

Dr. Reavis is a candidate member of the American College of Surgeons and the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons. Dr. Reavis is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society and has received several awards for his clinical work and research.

Learn more about Dr. Reavis »

 

 

  Sharon So, R.N.
  Bariatric Program Coordinator

With more than eight years of experience as a gastroenterology nurse, Sharon So is the bariatric program coordinator for bariatric surgery services. She facilitates monthly bariatric support groups, coordinates patient care in the clinical setting and organizes patient visitations with all postoperative patients. Sharon studied nursing at Cerritos College and received her bachelors in science in business at St La Salle University in the Philippines. Sharon speaks fluent Chinese and Tagalog.

 

 

  Gina Berry
  Clinical Dietitian

Gina Berry, clinical dietician, provides preoperative and postoperative nutrition assessments, counseling and guidance for bariatric surgery patients. She provides nutrition instruction and consultation to patients after surgery. In addition, Gina helps plan support groups and attends every meeting to answer questions. She also gives nutrition talks on a regular basis.

Gina received a bachelors degree in nutrition science from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and a master’s degree in Nutritional Science from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. She is a member of the American Dietetic Association, California Dietetic Association, Orange District Dietetic Association and American Society for Bariatric Surgery as an allied health professional.

 

  Lisa Dinglasan
  Clinical Social Worker

For the bariatric surgery team, Lisa provides psychosocial assessments and crisis intervention, facilitates patient and family conferences and addresses emotional issues. She also provides consultation to the care team regarding clinical dynamics related to problems of behavior and mental disorders. In addition, she is currently involved in planning and facilitating the monthly postsurgical support groups. Lisa received her master's degrees in social work and public administration from the University of Southern California.

 

 

  Pam Didur
  Surgery Scheduler and Authorization Coordinator

Pam Didur, surgery scheduler and authorization coordinator, registers patients and schedules appointments and surgeries for them. Pam is also responsible for verifying insurance coverage and obtaining authorizations for physician visits and surgeries.

 

 

  Erendira Rocha
  Medical Assistant

Erendira Rocha plays a vital role in a patient’s journey during their bariatric procedure. She prepares patients for the procedure by getting their preoperative vital signs. In addition, Erendira assists surgeons during bariatric procedures and provides postoperative care for patients. She participates in postoperative visits to patients to make sure they are doing well and educates patients on postoperative care. Erendira is bilingual in Spanish and English.

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