Seeking a second opinion is your right as a patient and a sign of informed decision-making. Dr. Kakarla provides honest, independent surgical evaluations for patients who want another perspective — whether you are unsure about a recommended procedure, have had a prior repair that did not hold, or want to explore minimally invasive alternatives to an open surgery recommendation.
What to Bring
- Any imaging studies (CT, MRI, ultrasound) — bring the disc or ensure your images are accessible through the Northside Hospital system
- Endoscopy reports and biopsy results (if applicable)
- Prior operative reports — if you have had previous surgery at the site in question
- Pathology reports (if applicable)
- A summary or copy of the surgical recommendation you received
If your workup was done outside the Northside Hospital system, please fax reports to (770) 339-9804 before your appointment, or bring physical copies. There is no digital upload path — all clinical documents should be faxed for privacy and HIPAA compliance.
Areas of Particular Expertise
- Recurrent or failed hernia repairs — inguinal, ventral, incisional, hiatal
- Complex abdominal wall reconstruction
- Redo fundoplication for GERD/hiatal hernia
- Robotic alternatives to recommended open surgery
- Cancer surgery — colon, rectal, gastric — with oncology team coordination