Kelvin Higa, MD, FACS
Clinical Professor
Surgery - Fresno
School of Medicine

Clinical Professor

Dr. Higa graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine in 1983. He is board certified in general surgery. After completing his residency training in 1988, he served as Chief of Vascular Surgery at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Fresno. In 1990, he entered private practice but has continued to devote a large amount of his time to teaching while also serving as Chief of Surgery for Community Medical Centers as well as Saint Agnes Medical Center.

Dr. Higa has performed open bariatric surgical procedures since the early 1990s. He and his partner Dr. Boone performed the first laparoscopic gastric bypass in the Central Valley in 1998. The two also pioneered the current technique used by many surgeons throughout the world. He and Professor Paul O’Brien from Australia performed the very first adjustable gastric band in Fresno.

Dr. Higa specializes in difficult and challenging cases, including revision bariatric surgery. He serves as associate editor for many peer-reviewed journals and has authored many original articles and book chapters regarding bariatric surgery and complication management. In addition to his title of clinical professor of surgery at the University of California San Francisco – Fresno Medical Education Program, Dr. Higa has been appointed to the National Faculty for Bariatric Surgery by the American College of Surgeons. He is also past president for the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and continues to chair many international conferences devoted to bariatric surgery.

• The role of diabetes severity scores in predicting disease remission in patients with BMI > 50 kg/m2 undergoing Roux-En-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy: a multi-centered study.
  Surgical endoscopy 2023 Ghusn W, Ma P, Ikemiya K, Hage K, Abboud DM, Vierkant RA, Kendrick ML, Higa K, Acosta A, Ghanem OM
• Diabetes Mellitus Remission in Patients with BMI > 50 kg/m2 after Bariatric Surgeries: A Real-World Multi-Centered Study.
  Obesity surgery 2023 Ghusn W, Ikemiya K, Al Annan K, Acosta A, Dayyeh BKA, Lee E, Spaniolas K, Kendrick M, Higa K, Ma P, Ghanem OM
• Effect of metabolic surgery on immunosuppressive medication use in patients with rheumatic diseases.
  Surgery for obesity and related diseases : official journal of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery 2022 Ma P, Vahibe A, McKenzie T, Hurtado Andrade MD, Vierkant RA, Higa K, Kendrick M, Ghanem OM
• Defining Global Benchmarks in Elective Secondary Bariatric Surgery Comprising Conversional, Revisional, and Reversal Procedures.
  Annals of surgery 2021 Gero D, Vannijvel M, Okkema S, Deleus E, Lloyd A, Lo Menzo E, Tadros G, Raguz I, San Martin A, Kraljevic M, Mantziari S, Frey S, Gensthaler L, Sammalkorpi H, Garcia-Galocha JL, Zapata A, Tatarian T, …
• Development of an International Standardized Curriculum for Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy Teaching Utilizing Modified Delphi Methodology.
  Obesity surgery 2021 Blackham RE, Rosenthal RJ, Higa K, Gagner M, Grantcharov TP, Hamdorf JM
• IFSO Update Position Statement on One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass (OAGB).
  Obesity surgery 2021 De Luca M, Piatto G, Merola G, Himpens J, Chevallier JM, Carbajo MA, Mahawar K, Sartori A, Clemente N, Herrera M, Higa K, Brown WA, Shikora S
• Bariatric-Metabolic Surgery Utilisation in Patients With and Without Diabetes: Data from the IFSO Global Registry 2015-2018.
  Obesity surgery 2021 Welbourn R, Hollyman M, Kinsman R, Dixon J, Cohen R, Morton J, Ghaferi A, Higa K, Ottosson J, Pattou F, Al-Sabah S, Anvari M, Himpens J, Liem R, Våge V, Walton P, Brown W, Kow L
• The IFSO Worldwide One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass Survey: Techniques and Outcomes?
  Obesity surgery 2021 Haddad A, Bashir A, Fobi M, Higa K, Herrera MF, Torres AJ, Himpens J, Shikora S, Ramos AC, Kow L, Nimeri AA
• Barrett's Oesophagus and Bariatric/Metabolic Surgery-IFSO 2020 Position Statement.
  Obesity surgery 2021 Fisher OM, Chan DL, Talbot ML, Ramos A, Bashir A, Herrera MF, Himpens J, Shikora S, Higa KD, Kow L, Brown WA
• Single Anastomosis Duodenal-Ileal Bypass with Sleeve Gastrectomy/One Anastomosis Duodenal Switch (SADI-S/OADS) IFSO Position Statement-Update 2020.
  Obesity surgery 2021 Brown WA, de Leon Ballesteros GP, Ooi G, Higa K, Himpens J, Torres A, Shikora S, Kow L, Herrera MF, IFSO appointed task force reviewing the literature on SADI-S/OADS
• IFSO Position Statement on the Role of Esophago-Gastro-Duodenal Endoscopy Prior to and after Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Procedures.
  Obesity surgery 2020 Brown WA, Johari Halim Shah Y, Balalis G, Bashir A, Ramos A, Kow L, Herrera M, Shikora S, Campos GM, Himpens J, Higa K
• Laparoscopic modified Nissen fundoplication over Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and hiatal hernia repair for intractable gastroesophageal reflux.
  Surgery for obesity and related diseases : official journal of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery 2020 Ma P, Higa K
• Laparoscopic resection of intussusception after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: comparison between the conventional and a simplified approach.
  Surgery for obesity and related diseases : official journal of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery 2020 Shuchleib A, Ma P, Boone K, Higa K
• Complications of Roux-En-O gastric bypass.
  Surgery for obesity and related diseases : official journal of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery 2020 Ma P, Higa K
• Laparoscopic revision of a transected silastic vertical gastric bypass (Fobi pouch) with totally hand sewn gastrojejunostomy for complicated marginal ulcer.
  Surgery for obesity and related diseases : official journal of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery 2020 Abunnaja S, Ma P, Higa K
• Defining Global Benchmarks in Bariatric Surgery: A Retrospective Multicenter Analysis of Minimally Invasive Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass and Sleeve Gastrectomy.
  Annals of surgery 2019 Gero D, Raptis DA, Vleeschouwers W, van Veldhuisen SL, Martin AS, Xiao Y, Galvao M, Giorgi M, Benois M, Espinoza F, Hollyman M, Lloyd A, Hosa H, Schmidt H, Garcia-Galocha JL, van de Vrande S, …
• Reduction of opioid use after implementation of enhanced recovery after bariatric surgery (ERABS).
  Surgical endoscopy 2019 Ma P, Lloyd A, McGrath M, Moore R, Jackson A, Boone K, Higa K
• Efficacy of liposomal bupivacaine versus bupivacaine in port site injections on postoperative pain within enhanced recovery after bariatric surgery program: a randomized clinical trial.
  Surgery for obesity and related diseases : official journal of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery 2019 Ma P, Lloyd A, McGrath M, Shuchleib Cung A, Akusoba I, Jackson A, Swartz D, Boone K, Higa K
• Reversal of Roux en Y gastric bypass: largest single institution experience.
  Surgery for obesity and related diseases : official journal of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery 2019 Ma P, Ghiassi S, Lloyd A, Haddad A, Boone K, DeMaria E, Higa K
• Duodenal switch in revisional bariatric surgery: conclusions from an expert consensus panel.
  Surgery for obesity and related diseases : official journal of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery 2019 Merz AE, Blackstone RB, Gagner M, Torres AJ, Himpens J, Higa KD, Rosenthal RJ, Lloyd A, DeMaria EJ
• Reoperative surgery for nonresponders and complicated sleeve gastrectomy operations in patients with severe obesity. An international expert panel consensus statement to define best practice guidelines.
  Surgery for obesity and related diseases : official journal of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery 2018 Kichler K, Rosenthal RJ, DeMaria E, Higa K
• Editorial: Single Anastomosis Procedures, IFSO Position Statement.
  Obesity surgery 2018 Higa K, Brown W, Himpens J
• Mini Gastric Bypass-One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass (MGB-OAGB)-IFSO Position Statement.
  Obesity surgery 2018 De Luca M, Tie T, Ooi G, Higa K, Himpens J, Carbajo MA, Mahawar K, Shikora S, Brown WA
• Single Anastomosis Duodenal-Ileal Bypass with Sleeve Gastrectomy/One Anastomosis Duodenal Switch (SADI-S/OADS) IFSO Position Statement.
  Obesity surgery 2018 Brown WA, Ooi G, Higa K, Himpens J, Torres A, IFSO-appointed task force reviewing the literature on SADI-S/OADS
• The Reality of Long-term Follow-up of Bariatric/Metabolic Surgery Patients-A Conundrum.
  JAMA surgery 2018 Higa KD, Himpens J
• Bariatric Surgery Worldwide: Baseline Demographic Description and One-Year Outcomes from the Second IFSO Global Registry Report 2013-2015.
  Obesity surgery 2018 Welbourn R, Pournaras DJ, Dixon J, Higa K, Kinsman R, Ottosson J, Ramos A, van Wagensveld B, Walton P, Weiner R, Zundel N
• Conversion of standard Roux-en-Y gastric bypass to distal bypass for weight loss failure and metabolic syndrome: 3-year follow-up and evolution of technique to reduce nutritional complications.
  Surgery for obesity and related diseases : official journal of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery 2018 Ghiassi S, Higa K, Chang S, Ma P, Lloyd A, Boone K, DeMaria EJ
• IFSO Position Statement on New Technologies for Treatment of Obesity : The International Federation for Surgery of Obesity (IFSO) and Its New Technologies Committee. Endorsed by the Ethical Committee of IFSO, Approved by the IFSO Executive Council on May, 3, 2017.
  Obesity surgery 2017 Dargent J, Vilallonga R, Katz L, Portenier D, Wilson E, Esacalona A, Himpens J, Zundel N, Higa K
• Revisional Bariatric/Metabolic Surgery: What Dictates Its Indications?
  Current atherosclerosis reports 2016 Ma P, Reddy S, Higa KD
• Laparoscopic revision of distal Roux-en-Y gastric bypass to duodenal switch for weight loss failure and symptoms.
  Surgery for obesity and related diseases : official journal of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery 2014 Moon C, Ghiassi S, Higa K
• International Sleeve Gastrectomy Expert Panel Consensus Statement: best practice guidelines based on experience of >12,000 cases.
  Surgery for obesity and related diseases : official journal of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery 2011 Rosenthal RJ, International Sleeve Gastrectomy Expert Panel, Diaz AA, Arvidsson D, Baker RS, Basso N, Bellanger D, Boza C, El Mourad H, France M, Gagner M, Galvao-Neto M, Higa KD, Himpens J, …
• Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: 10-year follow-up.
  Surgery for obesity and related diseases : official journal of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery 2010 Higa K, Ho T, Tercero F, Yunus T, Boone KB
• Surgery for diabetes?
  Medscape journal of medicine 2008 Higa KD
• [Mesenteric closure in laparoscopic gastric bypass: surgical technique and literature review].
  Cirugia espanola 2007 Higa K, Boone K, Arteaga González I, López-Tomassetti Fernández E
• Invited commentary. The gastric remnant and duodenum after gastric bypass are accessible via combined laparoscopic/endoscopic techniques.
  Obesity surgery 2007 Higa KD
• Medicolegal analysis of 100 malpractice claims against bariatric surgeons.
  Surgery for obesity and related diseases : official journal of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery 2006 Cottam D, Lord J, Dallal RM, Wolfe B, Higa K, McCauley K, Schauer P
• Improving the quality of care in bariatric surgery: the volume and outcome relationship.
  Advances in surgery 2005 Nguyen NT, Higa K, Wilson SE
• A multidisciplinary approach to the adolescent bariatric surgical patient.
  Journal of pediatric surgery 2004 Inge TH, Garcia V, Daniels S, Langford L, Kirk S, Roehrig H, Amin R, Zeller M, Higa K
• Internal hernias after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: incidence, treatment and prevention.
  Obesity surgery 2003 Higa KD, Ho T, Boone KB