David C. Chen, MD
Accepting new patients

David C. Chen, MD

  • General Surgery
Santa Monica Surgery | 1223 16th Street, Suite 3400, Santa Monica, CA 90404
310-319-4080

About

Academic/Professional Titles

  • Professor of Clinical Surgery - Department of Surgery
  • Associate Director of Surgical Education
  • Surgery Clerkship Director - David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
  • Clinical Director - Lichtenstein Amid Hernia Clinic at UCLA
  • Associate Professor - Department of Palliative Care

David Chen, MD, a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and Professor of Clinical Surgery at the David Geffen School Medicine at UCLA, is the Director of the Lichtenstein Amid Hernia Institute. He was directly trained by Dr. Amid in modern Lichtenstein technique, complex hernia management and repair, and operative remediation of hernia pain. He is an international expert in open, laparoscopic, and robotic techniques for complex hernia repair, abdominal wall reconstruction, and foregut and hiatal hernia surgery, with an emphasis on post-operative chronic pain. He is recognized as one of the preeminent leaders in the field through his clinical experience, research, lectures, and publications on hernia repair and chronic pain after hernia surgery with over 250 lectures and live surgeries, 53 peer reviewed publications and 44 book chapters. He is the current president-elect of the Americas Hernia Society and serves on the editorial boards of several journals. Dr. Chen is focused on treatment, education and research for repair of hernias, advanced minimally invasive techniques for abdominal wall reconstruction and hernia repair, repair of diaphragmatic and hiatal hernias, and surgery for chronic pain, mesh complications, and nerve entrapment.

Languages

English

Education

Medical Board Certification

Surgery, American Board of Surgery, 2010

Residency

Surgery, UCLA School of Medicine, 2009

Internship

Surgery, UCLA School of Medicine, 2003

Degree

MD, UC Davis Health, 2002

Recognitions

  • Top Doctors, Los Angeles Magazine, 2018, 2021, 2023
  • Award for Excellence in Education, David Geffen School Of Medicine at UCLA (2014)
  • UCLA Department of Surgery Golden Scalpel Assistant Professor Teaching Award (2014)
  • See More

Locations

Santa Monica

Santa Monica Surgery

General Surgery| Surgical Oncology| Colon and Rectal Surgery +4 more specialties
310-319-4080
Fax:310-394-5215
Location Details

Hospital Affiliations

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center

UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center

Videos

New Options for Treating GERD – Beyond PPIs

Research

Interests

  • Gastric Cancer
  • Benign Esophageal Disorders
  • Inguinal Hernia Repair
  • Chronic Pain after Hernia Repair
  • Geriatric Surgery
  • Hospice and Palliative Care
  • Surgical Education

Publications

  1. Chen DC. Postjunctional alpha2-adrenoceptors in the rat tail artery: effect of gender. UCI J Undergraduate Research. 1997 May 27;424-35.2.
  2. Chen DC, Duckles SP, Krause DN. Postjunctional alpha2-adrenoceptors in the rat tail artery: effect of sex and castration. Eur J Pharmacol. 1999 May 21;372(3):247-52.
  3. Avansino JR, Chen DC, Hoagland VD, Woolman JD, Haigh WG, Stelzner M. Treatment of bile acid malabsorption using ileal stem cell transplantation. J Am Coll Surg. 2005 Nov;201(5):710-20. Epub 2005 Sep 23.
  4. Avansino JR, Chen DC, Woolman JD, Hoagland VD, Stelzner M. Engraftment of mucosal stem cells into murine jejunum is dependent on optimal dose of cells. J Surg Res. 2006 May;132(1):74-9. Epub 2005 Nov 16.
  5. Stelzner M, Chen DC. To make a new intestinal mucosa. Rejuvenation Res. 2006 Spring;9(1):20-5.
  6. Chen DC, Agopian VG, Avansino JR, Lee JK, Farley SM, Stelzner M. Optical tissue window: a novel model for optimizing engraftment of intestinal stem cell organoids. J Surg Res. 2006 Jul;134(1):52-60. Epub 2006 May 12.
  7. Avansino JR, Chen DC, Woolman JD, Hoagland VD, Stelzner M. Orthotopic transplantation of intestinal mucosal organoids in rodents. Surgery. 2006 Sep;140(3):423-34. 
  8. Chen DC, Avansino JR, Agopian VG, Hoagland VD, Woolman JD, Pan S, Ratner B, Stelzner M. Comparison of Polyester Scaffolds for Bioengineered Intestinal Mucosa. Cells Tissues Organs. 2007;184(3-4):154-65.
  9. Agopian VG, Chen DC, Avansino JR, Stelzner M. Intestinal Stem Cell Organoid Transplantation Generates Neomucosa in Dogs. J Gastrointest Surg. 2009 May;13(5):971-82.
  10. Amid PK, Chen DC. Second invited commentary to the letter by Jan Lambrecht. Hernia. 2011 Apr 27.
  11. Cronin J, Livhits M, Mercado C, Chen F, Foster N, Chandler C, Gibbons M, Ko CY, Chen DC. Quality Improvement Pilot Program for Vulnerable Elderly Surgery Patients. Am Surg. 2011 Oct; 77(10):1305-8.
  12. Amid PK, Chen DC. Surgical treatment of chronic groin pain after laparoscopic and open preperitoneal inguinal hernia repair. J Am Coll Surg. 2011 Oct;213(4):531-6.
  13. Chen DC, Amid PK. Questioning the favorable influence of nerve identification during open inguinal herniorrhaphy is misleading and may increase the risk of surgeons' liability. Hernia. 2012 Oct;16(5):579-81.
  14. Ge P, Chen DC, Muthusamy VR. Delayed Migration of WallFlex Enteral Stent Resulting in Jejunal Perforation. Case Reports Gastrointest Med. 2013:652597.
  15. Chen DC, Hiatt JR, Amid PK. Operative Management of Refractory Neuropathic Inguinodynia by a Laparoscopic Retroperitoneal Approach. JAMA Surgery. 2013 Oct;148(10):962-7.
  16. Chen DC, Amid PK. Invited Commentary: Chronic Pain and Quality of Life after Transinguinal Preperitoneal (TIPP) Inguinal Hernia Repair: A Few Tips on TIPP." Hernia. 2013 Dec;17(6):693-5.
  17. Chen DC, Amid PK. Persistent orchialgia after inguinal hernia repair: diagnosis, neuroanatomy, and surgical management: Hernia. 2013 Oct 18. 
  18. Chen DC, Amid PK. Prevention of Inguinodynia: The need for continuous refinement and quality improvement in inguinal hernia repair. World J Surg. 2014 May 3. 
  19. Bjurstrom MF, Nicol A, Amid PK, Chen DC. Pain Control following Inguinal Herniorrhaphy: Current Perspective. J Pain Res. 2014 May 29;7:277-90. 
  20. Lange JFM, Kaufmann R, Wijsmuller A, Pierie JP, Ploeg RJ, Chen DC, Amid PK. An International Consensus Algorithm for Management of Chronic Postoperative Inguinal Pain. Hernia. 2014 Aug 20.
  21. Wagner JP, Chen DC, Donahue TR, Quach C, Hines OJ, Hiatt JR, Tillou A. Assessment of Resident Operative Performance Using a Real-time Mobile Web System: Preparing for the Milestone Age. 2014 Surgical Education Week. J Surg Ed. 2014. J Surg Educ. 2014 Jul 15.
  22. Wagner JP, Tillou A, Nguyen DK, Agopian VG, Hiatt JR, Chen DC. Monitoring Student Treatment Using Mobile, Web-based, Real-time Clerkship Feedback. J Surg Ed. 2014.

Book Chapters

 

  1. Chen DC, Barie PS, Hiatt JR. Peritonitis and Intra-abdominal Infection. Textbook of Critical Care, 6th Edition. 2010.
  2. Chen DC, Amid P. Technique: Lichtenstein. SAGES Manual of Hernia Repair, 1st Edition. 2011.
  3. Amid PK, Chen DC. Inguinal Neurectomy for Postincisional Inguinal Nerve Entrapment. Mastery of Surgery. 6th Edition. 2012.
  4. Amid PK, Chen DC. Lichtenstein Tension-Free Hernioplasty. Mastery of Surgery. 6th Edition. 2012.
  5. Amid PK, Chen DC. Inguinal Neurectomy for Nerve Entrapment: Triple Neurectomy. Master Techniques in General Surgery: Hernia Surgery, 1st Edition. 2012.
  6. Amid PK, Chen DC.  Inguinal Hernia: Lichtenstein Tension-free Repair. ACS Multimedia Atlas: Hernia Volume. 2012.
  7. Wagner J, Brunicardi CF, Amid PK, Chen DC. Inguinal Hernia. Schwartz Current Practice of General Surgery. 10th Edition. 2013.

In the News

Note: News website links may expire without notice.

Insurance

  • Aetna
  • Anthem Blue Cross
  • Blue Shield of California
  • Centivo
  • Cigna
  • First Health
  • Health Net of California
  • Interplan (part of HealthSmart)
  • L.A. Care
  • Medicare Advantage
  • MultiPlan
  • UFCM Health System
  • Prime Health Services
  • Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)
  • TRICARE
  • UnitedHealthcare

The list of health care plans above may not be comprehensive and could change. 
Please contact your benefits coordinator or health insurance company directly to verify coverage.

Visit our health insurance information page for more details.

Recognitions

  • Top Doctors, Los Angeles Magazine, 2018, 2021, 2023
  • Award for Excellence in Education, David Geffen School Of Medicine at UCLA (2014)
  • UCLA Department of Surgery Golden Scalpel Assistant Professor Teaching Award (2014)
  • UCLA Department of Surgery Golden Scalpel Assistant Professor Teaching Award (2013)
  • Pacific Coast Surgical Association 84th Annual Meeting New Member's Award (2013)
  • UCLA Department of Surgery Golden Scalpel Assistant Professor Teaching Award (2012)
  • UCLA Health System Teaching Humanism Award and Faculty Development Program (2011)
  • UCLA Department of Family Medicine Award for Excellence in Education (2011)
  • UCLA Department of Surgery Golden Scalpel Assistant Professor Teaching Award (2011)
  • UCLA Department of Surgery Golden Scalpel Assistant Professor Teaching Award (2010)
  • UCLA Department of Surgery Golden Scalpel Chief Resident Teaching Award (2009)

Links