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Ninh T. Nguyen, M.D.
Surgeon

Ninh T. Nguyen, M.D., is a specialist in surgeries of the gastrointestinal tract. Chief of the Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery at UC Irvine Medical Center, 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, among others.

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. The UC Irvine Medical Center 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.

An early proponent of robotic-assisted surgery, Dr. Nguyen was the first surgeon at UC Irvine Medical Center to use the da Vinci® Surgical System, which provides unparalleled precision in laparoscopic procedures.

Longstanding clinical interests in advancing the practice and applications of laparoscopic surgery have led Dr. Nguyen to publish and lecture extensively. He has authored or co-authored nearly 100 peer-reviewed papers, as well as numerous book chapters, professional news articles and invited commentaries. An accomplished speaker on minimally invasive gastric, esophageal and pulmonary procedures, Dr. Nguyen has presented his research at dozens of scientific conferences. He has also been a visiting professor and invited lecturer at many medical center grand rounds, society meetings and professional seminars. His work is regularly funded by leading endoscopic organizations, medical technology companies and research institutions.

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