Dr. Joseph DeVitis, MD, Surgeon
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Dr. Joseph DeVitis, MD

Surgeon

1951 N Wilmot Rd 2 Tucson AZ, 85712

About

Hailing from Seattle, Washington, Dr. Joseph DeVitis is a highly accomplished medical professional. Certified in both General Surgery and Surgical Critical Care, Dr. DeVitis is a current Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) instructor and has mentored numerous junior residents and medical students in the past. Motivated by the prospect of being closer to his family in Tucson, Arizona, Dr. DeVitis has dedicated himself to Arizona Community Specialists in Tucson His areas of expertise include large hernia repairs, abdominal wall reconstruction, minimally invasive surgery, and robotic assisted surgery. In his leisure time, he loves to hike, bike, climb, and explore all that Tucson has to offer, in addition to traveling.

Education and Training

St. George's University MD 2015

Board Certification

American Board of Surgery

Surgical Critical Care (Surgery)

Provider Details

Male English
Dr. Joseph DeVitis, MD
Dr. Joseph DeVitis, MD's Expert Contributions
  • Can surgery fix hemorrhoids?

    Surgery can remove persistent hemorrhoids but I only offer surgery after all other treatments have failed. These include Sitz baths twice a day, added fiber, and hemorrhoid banding. Hemorrhoid removal can be painful for about a month. We try to avoid removal of these if possible. READ MORE

  • How do you shrink a hernia?

    Unfortunately, a hernia will not shrink or go away on its own. At best, hernias will remain the same size but more commonly they will continue to grow in size. Repairing hernias early can be beneficial both for the patient and the surgeon. Larger hernias require more time to fix and can be sore for longer. READ MORE

  • Is thyroid surgery painful?

    The biggest complaint from patient is a sore throat, which is caused from the breathing tube. The incision is very well tolerated and almost all patients require only Tylenol or Motrin after surgery for pain relief. READ MORE

  • Does a hiatal hernia need surgery?

    Typically we recommend hiatal hernia surgery if you are having symptoms caused by the hiatal hernia such as reflux or shortness of breath. Many are discovered incidentally. Rare but life threatening conditions may arise from a hiatal hernia if not repaired. READ MORE

  • What type of surgery is best for inguinal hernia?

    There are two approaches to inguinal hernia surgery, open and minimally invasive. While there has been no data to demonstrate one technique over the other in regards to recurrence of your hernia, minimally invasive surgery (such as laparoscopic or robotic) repairs have a slight advantage with less risk of wound infection and less post-operative pain. READ MORE

  • When can I exercise after inguinal hernia repair?

    I recommend no exercise for the first 2 weeks after inguinal hernia surgery. As long as things are healing well, we gradually introduce exercise back into the routine, starting with light cardio and weights. The number one rule applies. If it hurts, don't do it! READ MORE

  • How long is recovery after inguinal hernia repair?

    Depending on the approach, recovery can take anywhere from a few days to 2 weeks. Swelling is common after this surgery. Wearing supportive underwear, alternating ice and heat can help. READ MORE

  • What foods to avoid after gallbladder removal?

    I recommend low fat foods after gallbladder removal as eating a meal high in fat can lead to diarrhea. Most patients can resume eating their normal diet after a week or so of low fat foods. Some patients have continued diarrhea with high fat meals and have to adjust their portions. There are also medications that can be added to help with persistent diarrhea after gallbladder surgery. READ MORE

Areas of expertise and specialization

HerniaAbdominal Wall ReconstructionRobotic SurgeryEndocrine SurgeryForegut SurgeryHiatal Hernia RepairSurgical Critical Care

Faculty Titles & Positions

  • Associate Professor of Surgery University of Arizona 2022 - Present

Awards

  • WebMD Preferred Provider 2022 WebMD 
  • Healthgrades Honor Roll Year Healthgrades.com 

Professional Memberships

  • Society of Critical Care Medicine  
  • American College of Surgeons  
  • Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons  
  • American Hernia Society  

Fellowships

  • Spectrum Health/Michigan State University Surgical Critical Care  2021

Professional Society Memberships

  • American College of Surgeons, Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, American Hernia Association, Society of Critical Care Medicine

Areas of research

  • Hailing from Seattle, Washington, Dr. Joseph DeVitis is a highly accomplished medical professional. Certified in both General Surgery and Surgical Critical Care, Dr. DeVitis is a current Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) instructor and has mentored numerous junior residents and medical students in the past. Motivated by the prospect of being closer to his family in Tucson, Arizona, Dr. DeVitis has dedicated himself to Arizona Community Specialists in Tucson His areas of expertise include large hernia repairs, abdominal wall reconstruction, minimally invasive surgery, and robotic assisted surgery. In his leisure time, he loves to hike, bike, climb, and explore all that Tucson has to offer, in addition to traveling.

Hobbies / Sports

  • hiking, road/mountain biking, climbing, and travel

Dr. Joseph DeVitis, MD's Practice location

Arizona Community Specialists

1951 N Wilmot Rd 2 -
Tucson, AZ 85712
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Media Releases

Get to know General Surgeon Dr. Joseph DeVitis, who serves patients in Tucson, Arizona.

A trusted general surgeon, Dr. DeVitis is affiliated with Southwestern Surgery Associates in Tucson, Arizona. He is a true patient-centered doctor and has a passion for taking care of the whole person. He has a special interest in large hernia repairs, abdominal wall reconstruction, endocrine surgery, and robotic assisted surgery. He is a proponent for using the latest minimally invasive techniques with robotic surgery so that his patients may benefit from shorter lengths of stay in the hospital and less postoperative pain.

The surgeons at Southwestern Surgery Associates have a long history of providing the best-specialized surgical care in Southern Arizona. All of them come from 1st rated training programs, exceeding credentialing criteria, and most have over 10 years of practical surgical experience. In addition to performing general surgery, individual surgeons sub-specialize in areas of expertise such as biliary disease, reflux, bariatrics, thyroid, breast, parathyroid, adrenal, and other ailments of the alimentary tract.

Born and raised in Seattle, Washington, Dr. DeVitis went on to complete his undergraduate degree in Chemistry at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California. After earning his medical degree at St. George’s University, he received advanced surgical training at Spectrum Health/Michigan State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Subsequently, he completed a fellowship in surgical critical care and has been board-certified in both general surgery and surgical critical care. Throughout his training, he has mentored many junior residents and medical students and has plans to continue his educational efforts in practice. In addition, he is a current Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) instructor.

Continuously advancing his efforts, Dr. DeVitis is a proud member of the American College of Surgeons, the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, the American Hernia Society, and the Society of Critical Care Medicine.

General surgery is a surgical specialty that focuses on abdominal contents including the esophagus, stomach, small bowel, colon, liver, gallbladder, appendix, as well as the thyroid, parathyroids, and adrenals. A general surgeon performs a wide range of abdominal surgeries for many forms of intestinal and abdominal wall hernias, groin hernias, gallbladder disease, and thyroid related cancers. They follow the patient through critical care and surgical recovery all the way to outpatient care.

On a more personal note, Dr. DeVitis was drawn to the sunny city of Tucson, Arizona to be closer to his family who reside in the area. When he is not helping his patients, he enjoys exploring the beautiful outdoors of Tucson through activities such as hiking, road/mountain biking, climbing, and travel.

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