expert type icon EXPERT

Dr. Guillermo Higa, M.D.

Surgeon

Dr. Guillermo Higa is Fellowship trained Bariatric Surgeon practicing in Tucson, AZ. He attended medical school at Universidad Nacional de Cordoba, Argentina. He completed his residency in General Surgery at the University of Arizona, in Tucson, AZ.
In 2003 , Dr Higa moved to Florida for a medical research fellowship in bariatric and minimally invasive surgery at the Cleveland Clinic. He later returned to the Cleveland Clinic for a fellowship in Minimally Invasive Bariatric Surgery in 2010.
Dr Higa is certified by the American Board of Surgery and holds proffesional memberships with the American College of Surgeons, American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, and the Society of American Gastrointestinal & Endoscopic Surgeons.
Dr Higa is the Medical Director of Bariatric Surgery for the Carondelet Health Network and the Minimally Invasive Bariatric Surgery Medical Director for St Mary's and St. Joseph's Hospitals in Tucson, AZ.
Dr Higa has more than 20 years of surgical experience performing over 1000 bariatric bariatric surgeries. He has extensive clinical and procedural expertise in research education respective to Bariatric Surgery and Medical weight loss and is often asked to give presentations and lectures for the Argentinian Congress of Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, SAGES,ASMBS and World Congress of Endoscopic Surgery.
He has received numerous awards during his extensive career and has written numerous medical papers, peer reviewed research publications and book chapters on weight loss and Bariatric Surgery.
In his spare time, Dr Higa likes spending quality time with his wife, Helen, and children. He enjoys sports including soccer, golf and tennis. His favorite hobby is playing the Spanish guitar.
Dr Higa is fluent in Spanish and English.
 
24 years Experience
Dr. Guillermo Higa, M.D.
  • Tucson, AZ
  • Universidad Nacional / Cordoba
  • Accepting new patients

What can I expect after laparoscopic stomach surgery?

You will have some pain after eating and nausea. Is this surgery for weight loss?

How long does appendix surgery take?

Should take about 30 minutes but can take a little longer if the appendix has ruptured

Does the bulge go away after hernia surgery?

The bulge should go away. Sometimes you can develop a collection of fluid (called seroma) where the hernia was and this can look like a lump. This seroma will go away with time READ MORE
The bulge should go away. Sometimes you can develop a collection of fluid (called seroma) where the hernia was and this can look like a lump. This seroma will go away with time

How long does it take to recover from hiatal hernia surgery?

2-3 weeks. Patients will be on a liquid and soft diet for this period of time until they are healed from surgery

What happens if a hernia is left untreated?

The hernia most likely will get bigger in size and give more symptoms

What foods should I avoid if I have a hernia?

You should be a able to have a regular diet. Drink plenty of fluids and avoid narcotics to prevent constipation

Can you exercise with a hernia?

You can do normal activity with a Hiatal Hernia

Does it hurt to have a lipoma removed?

You will have some pain at the incision site

Will hernia surgery make my stomach flatter?

If you have a bulge due to the hernia and the hernia defect is fixed, your abdominal wall will be flatter.

Will I gain weight after bariatric surgery?

It can happen but is very unlikely if you have good nutrition habits after your surgery

What are the side effects of having your gallbladder removed?

You have some diarrhea which gets better after some weeks

How long does it take to resume normal bowel movements following colon surgery?

May take 4-7 days. What is more important is passing gas which means your bowel function is coming back

Do you need surgery if you suffer from diabetes?

If you have a body mass index higher than 35 you could be a good candidate for weight loss surgery