In the News 2012 -2020

At the forefront of esophageal health (2020)

In recognition of April as Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month, UCLA Newsroom is taking a look at the work of the UCLA Robert G. Kardashian Center for Esophageal Health one year after its launch. Based in the UCLA Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, the center specializes in holistic treatment, research and education related to disorders of the esophagus. The center is named in memory of Robert G. Kardashian, a prominent Los Angeles attorney who died of esophageal cancer in 2003.

People Magazine also featured Dr. Esrailian’s work through the UCLA Robert G. Kardashian Center for Esophageal Health.

New UCLA center focusing on disorders of the esophagus to be named for Robert Kardashian (2019)

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The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA has established a center for holistic, patient-centered treatment, research and education related to disorders of the esophagus.

The new center is named in memory of Robert G. Kardashian, a prominent Los Angeles attorney who died of esophageal cancer in 2003. Kardashian’s family will launch fundraising efforts to provide resources for the center’s key initiatives and activities.

The Robert G. Kardashian Center for Esophageal Health, which is based in the UCLA Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, combines UCLA Health’s collective expertise in gastroenterology, surgery, oncology, anesthesiology, radiology, pathology and pediatrics to gain new insights into the causes of these disorders and to develop new prevention and treatment strategies. The Robert G. Kardashian Center will collaborate with the Melvin and Bren Simon Digestive Diseases Center and the Manoukian Division’s Integrative Digestive Health and Wellness Program to provide individualized care to patients.

“I am grateful for my friendship with the Kardashian family and this partnership, which will make a difference in patients’ lives for decades to come,” said Dr. Eric Esrailian, chief of the Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases. “We hope the family’s commitment inspires even more support from our community of friends — positioning the Robert G. Kardashian Center as a leader in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of esophageal conditions. This is just the beginning.”

Rates of esophageal cancer have increased dramatically in recent years. Evidence suggests lifestyle and the presence of gastroesophageal reflux disease play a role. Esophageal cancer, which has few symptoms, often goes undetected but is treatable if caught early — especially with the most innovative approaches.

“Our family is proud to pay tribute to our father by partnering with UCLA Health to establish the Robert G. Kardashian Center for Esophageal Health,” Kim Kardashian West said. “We look forward to working with our longtime family friend, Dr. Eric Esrailian, the Melvin and Bren Simon Digestive Diseases Center, and the UCLA Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases to build the best program of its kind in the country. We hope to save lives and help the community for many years to come in honor of our father.”

The Kardashian Center will utilize state-of-the-art treatments, recruit top faculty from around the world, invest in training specialists and raise awareness of the causes and treatment of esophageal disease.

“Establishing critical centers of excellence, combining comprehensive care, research and education enables our institution to bring patients, physicians, scientists and staff together with a specific focus and with the potential to have maximal impact for our community,” said Dr. John Mazziotta, vice chancellor of UCLA Health Sciences and CEO of UCLA Health. “The Robert G. Kardashian Center for Esophageal Health will be yet another important pillar for UCLA Health and the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA in our efforts to advance patient care and science for years to come.”

The establishment of the center and the Kardashian family’s fundraising initiative were announced April 16 — during Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month — at a campus event attended by the family and by other friends of the university.

UCLA Newsroom story

V. Raman Muthusamy, MD, MAS, works with consortium to publish new national guidelines for endoscopic eradication therapy in Barrett's esophagus (BE) (2017)

The effectiveness and safety of EET in eradicating BE-related neoplasia and maintaining remission, as demonstrated in randomized controlled trials, large observational studies, and population-based studies, has revolutionized the management of these patients and avoids the morbidity and mortality associated with esophagectom. Development of Quality Indicators for Endoscopic Eradication Therapies in Barrett’s Esophagus: The TREAT-BE (Treatment With Resection and Endoscopic Ablation Techniques for Barrett’s Esophagus) Consortium was published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology and Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.

Nine UCLA Center for Esophageal Disorders physicians voted Best Doctors in America for 2015-16

Best Doctors conducts an exhaustive, peer-reviewed survey of the medical profession, polling more than 50,000 doctors across the country. Doctors are asked to provide an assessment of the clinical abilities of their peers within each of the more than 400 subspecialties of medicine. The millions of individual data points collected through this process, after being compiled through algorithms that correct for statistical bias, yields the list of those physicians deemed "best" by their peers. Continuous peer-to-peer surveys help identify specialists who are considered by fellow physicians to be the most skilled in their fields and most qualified for reviewing and treating complex medical conditions.

Only 5% of the doctors in any country are actually selected to become Best Doctors. Best Doctors has earned a worldwide reputation for reliable, impartial results by remaining totally independent. Doctors are not paid to complete the survey, and cannot pay to be included in the database.

Voted Southern California Super Doctors 2016

A peer-review selection process ensures that only the top physicians are selected to become Super Doctors. These doctors have excelled professionally and are widely recognized as leaders within their fields of practice. Every year, thousands of physicians receive ballots that ask: "If you needed medical care, which doctor would you choose?" Several safeguards prevent self-nomination and ballot manipulation. An expert Blue Ribbon Panel groups nominees into more than 30 medical practice areas and assigns point totals based on individual reviews. Each doctor's professional information is verified to ensure it is accurate and up-to-date. UCLA Health is proud to have such a diverse group of doctors be deemed "super" among their peers. Super Doctors is a respected publication that identifies top doctors through independent research and an objective selection process.

V. Raman Muthusamy, MD, MAS, quoted in article about New guidelines for GERD (2015)

Dr. Muthusamy, director of interventional and gastrointestinal endoscopy in the division of digestive diseases, was quoted in the September issue of Gastroenterology & Endoscopy News in an article about new guidelines calling for a less aggressive approach for the use of endoscopy in the evaluation of patients presenting with symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or dyspepsia.

Voted Southern California Super Doctors 2015

A peer-review selection process ensures that only the top physicians are selected to become Super Doctors. These doctors have excelled professionally and are widely recognized as leaders within their fields of practice. Every year, thousands of physicians receive ballots that ask: "If you needed medical care, which doctor would you choose?" Several safeguards prevent self-nomination and ballot manipulation. An expert Blue Ribbon Panel groups nominees into more than 30 medical practice areas and assigns point totals based on individual reviews. Each doctor's professional information is verified to ensure it is accurate and up-to-date.

UCLA Health System is proud to have such a diverse group of doctors be deemed "super" among their peers. Super Doctors is a respected publication that identifies top doctors through independent research and an objective selection process.

Eight UCLA Center for Esophageal Diseases physicians voted Best Doctors in America for 2014

Best Doctors conducts an exhaustive, peer-reviewed survey of the medical profession, polling more than 50,000 doctors across the country. Doctors are asked to provide an assessment of the clinical abilities of their peers within each of the more than 400 subspecialties of medicine. The millions of individual data points collected through this process, after being compiled through algorithms that correct for statistical bias, yields the list of those physicians deemed "best" by their peers. Continuous peer-to-peer surveys help identify specialists who are considered by fellow physicians to be the most skilled in their fields and most qualified for reviewing and treating complex medical conditions.

Best Doctors objective is to identify the best trained, most experienced and most skilled specialists, regardless of where they practice. Only 5% of the doctors in any country are actually selected to become Best Doctors.

Best Doctors has earned a worldwide reputation for reliable, impartial results by remaining totally independent. Doctors are not paid to complete the survey, and cannot pay to be included in the database.

Reflux disease is common yet often overlooked (2013)

Dr. Eric Esrailian, co-chief of the Division of Digestive Diseases, was quoted Sept. 14 in a Los Angeles Times article about acid reflux disease.

Voted Best Doctors in 2013

Best Doctors conducts an exhaustive, peer-reviewed survey of the medical profession, polling more than 50,000 doctors across the country. Doctors are asked to provide an assessment of the clinical abilities of their peers within each of the more than 400 subspecialties of medicine. The millions of individual data points collected through this process, after being compiled through algorithms that correct for statistical bias, yields the list of those physicians deemed "best" by their peers. Continuous peer-to-peer surveys help identify specialists who are considered by fellow physicians to be the most skilled in their fields and most qualified for reviewing and treating complex medical conditions.

Best Doctors objective is to identify the best trained, most experienced and most skilled specialists, regardless of where they practice. Only 5% of the doctors in any country are actually selected to become Best Doctors. The following UCLA Center for Esophageal Disorders faculty were recognized: Dinesh Chhetri, Galen Cortina, Marvin Derezin, O. Joe Hines, Barbara Kadell, Percy Lee, Steve Lee, V. Raman Muthusamy and Bennett E. Roth.

Voted Southern California Super Doctors 2013

A peer-review selection process ensures that only the top physicians are selected to become Super Doctors. These doctors have excelled professionally and are widely recognized as leaders within their fields of practice. Every year, thousands of physicians receive ballots that ask: "If you needed medical care, which doctor would you choose?" Several safeguards prevent self-nomination and ballot manipulation. An expert Blue Ribbon Panel groups nominees into more than 30 medical practice areas and assigns point totals based on individual reviews. Each doctor's professional information is verified to ensure it is accurate and up-to-date.

UCLA Health System is proud to have such a diverse group of doctors be deemed "super" among their peers. Super Doctors is a respected publication that identifies top doctors through independent research and an objective selection process.

The following UCLA Center for Esophageal Disorders physicians were recognized: Robert Cameron, Daniel Cole, Joel R. Hecht, O. Joe Hines, Rome Jutabha, Thomas Kovacs, Jay Lee and Bennett E. Roth.

Publication Lauds Super UCLA Physicians

More than 250 UCLA physicians were rated among the top doctors in Los Angeles in the recently released 2102 Best Doctors publication, which recognizes doctors who have excelled professionally and are recognized as leaders within their fields of practice. The following UCLA Center for Esophageal Disorders faculty were recognized: Drs. Daniel Cole, Rome Jutabha, Dinesh Chhetri, O. Joe Hines, Barbara Kadell, Thomas Kovacs, V. Raman Muthusamy, Bennett E. Roth, Michael Selch, Ronald Siegel, Wilfred Weinstein.