Camran Nezhat MD, FACOG, FACS, is a minimally invasive and robotic surgeon specializing in treating endometriosis. Dr. Nezhat is recipient of AMA’s highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award for meritorious service in the science and art of medicine for the year 2020.

“Innovation is a key driver in transforming health care and Dr. Nezhat’s pioneering work has fundamentally changed contemporary surgery and opened a path for surgeons around the world to help their patients”, said AMA President Susan R. Bailey M.D. “He continues to push the leading-edge of advanced procedures and the development of the safest, most efficacious technologies to enhance patient care and improve outcomes.”

Dr. Nezhat was chosen by the AMA as an exceptional innovator and trailblazer whose significant contributions have revolutionized modern day surgery. He is best known for inventing video-assisted endoscopy and was the first to perform groundbreaking advances in minimally invasive surgical procedures that have helped millions of patients around the globe.

Camran Nezhat, M.D. has been called the father of modern-day surgery for inventing and pioneering video-assisted endoscopic surgery, which to this day, continues to replace old techniques of open surgery. His developments have revolutionized surgery and gradually replaced laparotomy. He and his team were the first to perform many of the most advanced laparoscopic surgical procedures with and without robotic-arm assistance. Early on he advocated and proved that the majority of the open procedures of the time could be performed via video-laparoscopy. By doing so, he opened the door for surgeons all over the world to advance the field of minimally invasive surgery and help their patients.

As the original proponent for minimally invasive surgery, he has declared that wherever in the body a cavity exists or can be created minimally invasive surgery is possible and probably preferable, the limiting factors are the skill and experience of the surgeon and the availability of proper instrumentations. 

In the 1990’s he collaborated with robotic pioneers Ajit Shah and Phil Green on development of the daVinci Robot56 and has innovated many of its applications.

His pioneering work above, along with his other innovations, like vessel sealing and cutting devices, suction irrigation instruments, surgical lasers, safe abdominal entry techniques, robotics, etc., serve millions of patients around the world. He has more than 30 patents for his various inventions and developments. 

He is the author of eight textbooks and several hundred peer reviewed articles and book chapters. He has trained many physicians around the world who have become pillars of their communities. He started teaching postgraduate courses in 1982 and continues to teach and share his knowledge with medical professionals internationally. He has had teaching and leadership roles at many different societies and universities around the world.

He is the Founder of Worldwide Endometriosis March (EndoMarch), a global grassroots movement with the mission of raising awareness about endometriosis and finding noninvasive diagnostic testing, and ultimately, prevention and treatment (www.endomarch.org). More than sixty countries are involved in this movement. 

He is Clinical Professor of OBGYN University of California San Francisco School of Medicine; Former Chair Association of Adjunct Clinical Faculty, Deputy Chief of the Department of OBGYN, and Adjunct Clinical Professor of Surgery and OBGYN at Stanford University Medical School; Adjunct Professor at the Medical University of Vienna in Vienna, Austria; Fellowship Director Society of Reproductive Surgeons, American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and Society of Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgeons (SLS); and Director of  Camran Nezhat Institute, Center for Special Minimally Invasive and Robotic Surgery.

Camran Nezhat, M.D. and his team have been credited with performing the following procedures for the first time in surgical history: 

GYNECOLOGY 

• Laparoscopic treatment of extensive endometriosis involving multiple organs (1985-1986, 1988- 1989, 1991-1994)
• Laparoscopic removal of dermoid cyst (1989)
• Radical hysterectomy with paraaortic and pelvic node dissection (1989-1992)
• Operative laparoscopy during advanced pregnancy (1990-1991)
• Management of ovarian remnant (1991-1992)
• Sacral colpopexy (1992, 1994)
• Laparoscopic-assisted myomectomy (1994)
• Laparoscopic repair of vesico vaginal fistulas (1994)
• Vaginal cuff dehiscence following laparoscopic hysterectomy (1995-1996)
• Laparoscopic debulking for advanced ovarian cancer (1996)
• Laparoscopic repair of Cesarean scar defect (Niche, Isthmocele, Diverticulum repair.) (2003)

COLORECTAL 

• Laparoscopic bowel resection (including shaving technique, disk excision, and segmental colon resection by natural orifice, mini laparotomy, and total laparoscopic approach) (1988-1992, 1994)

UROLOGY 

• Ureter resection (1990, 1992)
• Bladder resection (1992)
• Ureteroneocystostomy with and without Psoas Hitch (1992,1999)
• Vesico vaginal fistula repair (1994)

UPPER ABDOMEN AND CHEST 

• Diaphragm resection and repair (1992)
• Laparoscopic treatment of lung endometriosis (1992, 2012)
• Laparoscopic treatment of liver endometriosis (2005)

VASCULAR 

• Laparoscopic repair of major retroperitoneal vessels (1997, 2002)

DISCOVERY OF NEW ANATOMICAL SPACE IN BODY – “NEW SPACE” 

• Reverse vesicouterine fold dissection for laparoscopic hysterectomy after prior Cesarean deliveries (2016)

For more information, please visit www.nezhat.org.