Brian Jacob, MD

First find the Surgeon that best fits your needs, review their experience, and determine that the location is convenient for you. Then, from that page, upload your insurance information. The Surgeon’s office will contact you to verify whether your plan is accepted. 

Many plans allow for access to out of network providers for the same out of pocket cost as in network providers.

General Surgeons may undergo additional subspecialty/fellowship training following completion of general surgery residency. Subspecialty training programs are available in colorectal surgery, minimally invasive surgery, surgical oncology, Breast surgery, transplant surgery, endocrine surgery, vascular surgery, cardiothoracic surgery and pediatric surgery.

A sports hernia is not actually a hernia. The condition’s true name is athletic pubalgia. A sports hernia is caused by torn tendons that attach to the pelvis, instead of an abdominal muscle separation and protrusion of the intestine. Patients with severe tears may require surgery.

Hiatal hernias occur in the abdomen and affects the diaphragm. They cause stomach acids to travel up into the esophagus. Heartburn, erosion or ulceration may result. If conservative treatment with medication fails, surgery which is performed laparoscopically, may be required.

Most surgeries do not require an overnight stay. If your health, age and surgical procedure do not require a hospital stay after surgery, an accredited ambulatory surgery center may offer several advantages, including convenience, reduced cost and reduced potential for developing infection.

Groin pain can be caused by a work related activity, or a high impact accident. If groin pain is not caused by an injury, it may be radiating or referred pain coming from other parts of the body. Muscle strains, bursitis, and inflammation of the testicles and scrotum are also causes of groin pain. It is important to look for other causes of groin pain when you have not had an injury.

OB-GYN doctors are often a woman's primary care doctor. OB-GYNs can diagnose and initially treat many hernias. Not all hernias require surgery, but if surgery is required, the hernia repair will usually be performed by a general surgeon.  Surgical hernia repair is an outpatient surgery that may use general anesthesia or sedation.  

The safety of using mesh in hernia repair is still the No. 1 question patients ask. Some surgeons believe that mesh is needed in certain hernias and is safe when placed correctly — and under the right circumstances. Some groin hernias can be repaired without mesh. Additionally, some small hernias at the belly button can be repaired with suture alone. Most repairs may require prosthetic mesh to achieve a successful repair.

Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair, also known as Keyhole surgery, is a surgical procedure that allows a highly experienced laparoscopic surgeon to access the inside of the abdomen and pelvis without making a large incision. Keyhole repairs are technically demanding and have to be done under general anesthesia. Keyhole procedures may be recommended in cases involving a bilateral hernia, or when previous open surgery was unsuccessful.

The most effective treatment for recurrent gallbladder attacks is surgical removal of the gallbladder, or laparoscopic cholecystectomy. You can easily live without a gallbladder. The liver produces enough bile for normal digestion. When the gallbladder is removed, bile simply flows directly into the small intestine through a common bile duct.

Anal warts, known medically as condyloma acuminata, are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). Treatment should focus on anal wart removal and anal cancer prevention. Mild to moderate cases can be treated with topical medication. Large genital warts or hard-to-access warts that can't be treated by other procedures may require cauterization or laser surgery. Local or general anesthesia may be required depending on the size and number of warts.

An anal fissure is a small tear in the external skin of the lining of the anal canal. The majority can heal without surgery by employing a self-care regimen that includes stool softeners, topical pain medication, good hygiene, a healthy diet and good hydration. Chronic fissures that do not heal may require surgery. The most common surgery is a fissurectomy, in which the edges of the fissure are removed, as are any skin tags that may have occurred.

Any nerve can become entrapped. It is critical that nerve entrapment be evaluated and treated as soon as possible to prevent any permanent nerve damage. Most nerve entrapment occurs because of chronic overuse, as when an athlete specializes in a sport. Patients with an underlying peripheral nerve disorder, such as metabolic or peripheral neuropathy, are at a higher risk for nerve entrapment. Pain syndromes are often challenging to diagnose. An anesthetic delivered with the help of MRI can help resolve harder-to-identify diagnoses. Surgery may be considered if all conservative treatment options have failed.

Mastectomy is major surgery performed under general anesthesia by a General Surgeon.  Some highly experienced General Surgeons specialize in treating breast disease and may go by the term Breast Surgeon.  Consultation with a reconstructive Plastic Surgeon should take place before the mastectomy is scheduled, if breast reconstruction is planned at the same time as the mastectomy.

If the pelvic floor dysfunction is causing problems with bladder or bowels, or nonsurgical treatments, such as using a pessary or special exercises, have not helped, surgery may be indicated. Colorectal surgeons, gynecologists and urogynecologists are trained in the diagnosis and treatment of this condition. Colorectal surgery is a subspecialty of General Surgery.

On April 16, 2019, the FDA ordered all manufacturers of surgical mesh intended for transvaginal repair of anterior compartment prolapse (cystocele) to stop selling and distributing their products immediately. The FDA ban only applies to transvaginal mesh for prolapse repairs, which means there are still safe surgical options for bladder or vaginal mesh slings for SUI (stress urinary incontinence) or abdominal prolapse.

A lipoma is a benign soft tissue tumor located just below the skin. They are typically harmless. However, there is always a risk that benign lipomas may change to a cancerous growth. One of the first signs of this is a sudden, rapid increase in size. The only way to definitively diagnose this is to remove the mass and have a pathologist look at it under the microscope. Most lipomas do not need treatment. However, if a lipoma is unsightly and is bothering you, it can be removed surgically, or with liposuction. However, liposuction will not remove the capsule itself leading to a high risk of the lipoma returning.

Most surgeons can remove a lipoma either through excision or liposuction. However, if the lipoma is large, and situated where scarring will be apparent, you may want to have it removed by a Plastic Surgeon.

Your General Surgeon may request a medical evaluation by your Primary Care Physician before performing your surgery. A medical clearance is essentially authorization from an evaluating doctor that a patient is cleared, or deemed healthy enough, for a proposed surgery.

A preoperative physical examination is essentially the same thing as getting 'medical clearance. It is performed at the request of the General surgeon to ensure that a patient is healthy enough to safely undergo anesthesia and surgery. This evaluation includes a physical examination, cardiac evaluation, lung function assessment, and appropriate laboratory tests.

Your surgeon may order routine laboratory tests before your procedure to identify potential problems that might complicate surgery if not detected and treated in advance. A blood test will show if you have a blood-clotting problem and may be at risk of too much bleeding during surgery.  Urinalysis may be used to detect urinary tract infections, renal diseases and poorly controlled diabetes.

The purpose of medical clearance is to assess your personal risk related to undergoing a surgical procedure. If you have comorbidities your surgeon may want another doctor familiar with your medical history to offer perspective on whether the procedure is safe for you and ways to reduce risk.

Your Primary Care Physician is the Doctor who manages your medical care. He/she will provide the appropriate information.

Your medical history, physical exam and labs are valid for 30 days. EKG's that are normal are valid for 90 days. These parameters may vary if you have comorbidities.

PreferredMD’s online service allows you to filter for Surgeons with availability after 5 p.m. Just choose the special hours filter at the top of our search page. 

PreferredMD’s online service uses a purple video icon on the profiles of Surgeons who offer online video visits. You can filter your search results to show only General Surgeons who offer video visits. 

Most insurers provide coverage for video visits at the same rate as in-person visits. You can search on PreferredMD specifically for General Surgeons who accept your insurance for video visits. Select your carrier and plan from the drop-down menu at the top of the page to verify. If that information is not available, we recommend you check with your insurance carrier directly to confirm your coverage and out of pocket costs for video visits.

PreferredMD’s online service allows you to search specifically for a General Surgeon who has appointments available before 10:00 am, or after 5:00 pm. Just choose the special hours filter at the top of our search page. 

PreferredMD’s online service allows you to see real-time availability for General Surgeons that offer appointments on Saturdays and Sundays. Just choose the special hours filter at the top of our search page. 

Pudendal neuralgia can affect both men and women. The pudendal nerve runs from the back of the pelvis to close to the base of the penis or vagina, where it branches off into other nerves. Symptoms include sharp burning pain, numbness, tingling and/or a swelling feeling. If conservative remedies such as physical therapy, Botox, and pudendal nerve blocks fail to provide adequate relief, pudendal nerve decompression surgery may be indicated.

PreferredMD patients can often get same day appointments; on average within 24 hours. You can search for real-time availability of Surgery Consultations in your area, with Surgeons who accept your insurance and make an appointment online. 

Now that you’re here, you can use PreferredMD’s free online service to find General Surgeons and book appointments instantly. You can easily search for a General Surgeon in your desired location and specify your insurance plan. Based on that information, you’ll see a list of Doctors who meet your search criteria, accept your insurance, and their available appointment slots.

PreferredMD’s online service allows you to filter your results for surgeons by gender. That way, you’ll only see Doctors who match your preferences.

You can use PreferredMD’s online service to find surgeons who are highly rated by real patients. Every time a patient completes an appointment booked on PreferredMD, they are invited to review their experience. All ratings are based on verified reviews submitted by real patients. Each review must comply with PreferredMD’s guidelines.