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Prakash R Paragi MD

Prakash R. Paragi, MD

  • Surgery-Bariatric | Surgery-General | Surgery-Minimally Invasive
Languages Spoken English, Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu
  • At A Glance
  • Education & Publications
  • Insurance
  • Bio

    Dr. Paragi is an experienced surgeon who received his medical degree and completed a general surgery residency at the Bangalore Medical College in India. He went on to complete a post-doctoral research fellowship at the Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, and was later an appointed Lecturer at the Government Homeopathic Medical College and Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at the Sri Siddhartha Medical College. Dr Paragi also operated a consulting surgical practice in his hometown of Bangalore (India) and in the West Indies for more than a decade.

    Dr. Paragi immigrated to the United States in 2001 for advanced surgical training. He completed his second research fellowship at the Department of Molecular Cardiology and Integrated Medicine at the renowned Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Ohio, and a third in Minimally-invasive Surgery including Bariatric Surgery at the Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pennsylvania. In 2005, he joined the Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center (SBMC) following an internship at the Bronx Lebanon Hospital in New York, and completed his General Surgery Residency. Dr. Paragi is currently licensed in the state of New Jersey, and has been appointed as the Director of Minimally-invasive Surgery at SBMC.

    Dr Paragi has contributed extensively to the surgical literature as well as presented on a variety of surgical topics including weight loss and bariatric surgery at numerous meetings both nationally and internationally. He is a member of the American College of Surgeons, the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons, Association of Surgeons of India, the Bangalore Oncology Group, and the Indian Medical Council.

    Philosophy:

    "Changing Lives" Surgical and professional services is a multi-specialty practice dedicated in improving the lives of people who are struggling with obesity through delivery of high-quality and compassionate health care. A center dedicated to the reduction of obesity - Metabolic and Obesity related diseases (diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea etc.). In addition to obesity treatment , patients with various general surgery conditions are treated. The center was established in 2014 by Dr. Prakash Paragi and Dr. Lalitha Prakash who felt the need for one stop shop for treatment of obesity in a 3000 sq. foot facility, located in West Orange, NJ. SPS- BI is affiliated to the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) jointly initiated by American College of Surgeons, (ACS) and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). The societies combined their respective national bariatric surgery accreditation programs into a single unified program to achieve one national accreditation standard for bariatric surgery centers, the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP®). Our surgeons perform Surgeries at a Center of Excellence. The outcomes are excellent and the rate of complications are below national average. This is attributed to our expertise in the field of obesity and general surgery. Over the last several years our center has treated more than 5,000 patients and has excellent outcomes.

    Clinical Interests

    Minimally Invasive Bariatric Surgery and General Surgery, Cancer Surgery, Advanced Laparoscopic Training

    Procedures:

    Laparoscopic /Robotic gastric bypass Laparoscopic /Robotic gastric sleeve Laparoscopic/ Robotic loop duodenal switch Laparoscopic Revision bariatric Surgery Gastric Balloon- Orbera balloon Laparoscopic removal of gastric band Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Laparoscopic Hiatal hernia repair and surgery for acid reflux Laparoscopic Heller's Myotomy Laparoscopic appendectomy Laparoscopic/Robotic inguinal hernia repair Laparoscopic Femoral hernia repair Laparoscopic/Robotic ventral hernia repair Laparoscopic/Robotic incisional hernia repair General Surgery - surgery for lipoma, sebaceous cyst, lumps and bumps Surgery for small bowel obstruction Surgery for Thyroid, para thyroid and adrenal gland Laparoscopic colon Surgery Laparoscopic surgery for diverticulitis Esophagoduodenoscopy Colonoscopy

    Conditions:

    Obesity, including weight regain Medical management of weight loss Gastroesophageal reflux Hiatal Hernia Achalasia cardia Inguinal, femoral, ventral and incisional hernia Colonic diverticula Colonic cancer General surgery- lumps and bumps Diseases of the thyroid, para thyroid and adrenal gland

  • Medical School

    Bangalore University, Karnataka, India, 1985, Bangalore University, Karnataka, India, 1990

    Internship

    Bronx-Lebanon Hospital, New York, NY, 2005

    Residency

    Saint Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston, NJ, 2009

    Fellowship

    Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA, 2004

    Publications
    Title:Tube Intubation-its necessity in palliation of advanced Esophageal Cancer
    Authors:SK.Krishnamurthy, PR.Prakash
    Publisher:The Antiseptic
    Date:01-Mar-92
    Issue:Vol 89, (3) p 148-151
    Description:Article

    Title:Cystosarcoma Phylloides in adolescent and adult females
    Authors:SK.Krishnamurthy, PR.Prakash
    Publisher:The Antiseptic
    Date:01-Sep-91
    Issue:Vol. 88 (9) p 467-469
    Description:Article

    Title:Adult Congenital Bronchoesophageal fistula
    Authors:R.Copperman, PR.Pragi, S.Shah
    Publisher:Thoracic Cardiovascular Surgeon
    Date:01-Sep-07
    Issue:Vol. 55, p 322-323
    Description:Article

    Title:Bariatric surgery: shedding the monetary weight of prescription costs in the managed care arena
    Authors:CE.Potteiger, PR.Paragi, NA Inverso, C.Still, MJ.Reed, W.Strodel 3rd, M.Rogers, A.Petrick
    Publisher:Obesity Surgery
    Date:01-Jun-04
    Issue:Vol. 14 (6) p 725-30
    Description:Article

    Title:Lymphoepithelial Cyst of the Pancreas: A Sheep in wolf's clothing
    Authors:R.Langan, PR.Paragi, RS.Chamberlain
    Publisher:Am Surg.
    Date:01-Jun-09
    Issue:75 (6) p 520-2
    Description:Article

    Title:In defense of the Whipple: an argument for aggressive surgical management of pancreatic cancer
    Authors:RS.Chamberlain, C.Gupta, PR.Paragi
    Publisher:Oncologist
    Date:01-Jun-09
    Issue:14 (14) p 586-90
    Description:Article

    Title:Management of Enteropathy-associated T cell lymphoma (EATL): An algorithmic approach
    Authors:N.Babel, PR.Paragi, RS.Chamberlain
    Publisher:Case Rep Oncol
    Date:01-Jan-09
    Issue:2: 36-43
    Description:Article

    Title:Iatrogenic Bile Duct Injury Associated with Anomalies of the Right Hepatic Sectoral Ducts: A Misunderstood and Underappreciated Problem
    Authors:N.Babel, SV.Sakpal, PR.Paragi, J.Wellen, S.Feldman, RS.Chamberlain
    Publisher:HPB Surgery
    Date:01-Jan-09
    Issue:vol. 2009, Article ID 153269, 4 pages
    Description:Article
  • Insurance

    Accepted Health Plan information is only as accurate as the most current information submitted. Prior to your appointment, it is advisable to verify with a physician office that they are still a participating provider.

    • Aetna
    • Aetna Health Plans of NJ
    • Aetna Medicare NNJ Prime
    • America's Health Plan
    • Americhoice
    • Amerigroup
    • Amerihealth
    • Anthem Health
    • Beacon
    • Blue Cross/Blue Shield NJ
    • Cigna
    • Cigna Behavioral Health
    • Cigna Healthcare
    • Cigna Healthcare/Great West
    • Cigna HMO
    • Emblem Health / GHI
    • Emblem Health / QualCare
    • Empire BC/BS
    • Empire Healthchoice
    • Empire through Blue Card Program
    • Federal Blue Cross PPO
    • First MCO (Worker's Comp)
    • GHI
    • GHI PPO
    • GHI through QualCare (only for patients where the Qualcare logo appears on ID card)
    • Great-West (Cigna)
    • Health Republic Insurance of NJ
    • HMO Blue - Medicare Blue
    • Horizon BCBS
    • Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO
    • Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield Indemnity
    • Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare Blue
    • Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield Omnia
    • Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO
    • Horizon Managed Care
    • Horizon NJ Health
    • Horizon NJ Health (managed Medicaid plan)
    • Horizon PPO
    • Independence BCBS
    • Magellan Behavioral Health
    • Magnacare
    • Medicare
    • Multiplan
    • Multiplan / PHCS
    • National Health Plan
    • National Provider Network
    • New Jersey Manufacturers through Horizon Casualty
    • Optum Behavioral Health
    • Oxford
    • Oxford Health
    • Oxford Health Plan HMO
    • Oxford Health Plan PPO
    • Oxford Medicare Advantage Plans
    • Oxford Medicare Advantage Private Fee For Service Plans
    • Qualcare
    • Tricare
    • United Healthcare
    • United Medicare Advantage Plan