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Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA

(Alexander A. Khalessi, MD, MBA)

(147 Ratings)

Specializes in: Vascular Surgery, Oncology (Cancer Care), Neurosurgery and General Practice

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Professional interests include: stroke, cancer, head injury, and more.

9300 Campus Point Drive
San Diego, CA 92037

(619) 543-5540

Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA is a vascular surgeon in San Diego, CA specializing in vascular surgery, oncology (cancer care), neurosurgery and general practice. He graduated from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA is affiliated with UC San Diego Health, Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego, Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego and UC San Diego Health.

Office Locations

9300 Campus Point Drive
San Diego, CA 92037

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200 W. Arbor Drive
San Diego, CA 92103

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4250 First Avenue
San Diego, CA 92103

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UC San Diego Health

9300 Campus Point Drive
La Jolla, CA 92037

(619) 543-5540

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Some issues Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA can help you with:

Stroke

A stroke is a medical emergency that occurs when a blood vessel supplying oxygen and nutrients to the brain is ruptured or blocked. The brain cannot function without a steady supply of oxygen and nutrients, so when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted, even for a brief moment, brain cells begin to die. When a sufficient number of brain cells die, the brain itself can no longer function, meaning that strokes are very dangerous. Strokes can result in impaired movement, speech, cognitive ability, the impairment of important physical functions, and even death.

Anyone can have a stroke, regardless of age and health. Strokes are known to happen at random. However, certain conditions and behaviors can increase one's risk of stroke over time.

Risk factors for stroke include:

Heart disease
Older age
Smoking
Diabetes
High blood pressure
High blood cholesterol and lipids

There are two main types of stroke: ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke. Ischemic stroke occurs more commonly and is when a blood vessel in the brain becomes blocked. Blockages are caused by blood clots and built-up plaque (deposits of fat and cholesterol), which leads to atherosclerosis, a condition where the blood vessels narrow and harden. The resultant restricted blood flow may lead to an ischemic stroke by blocking essential oxygen to the brain, causing the heart to exert more effort to pump blood.

Hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel in or around the brain ruptures. The burst vessel leaks blood into surrounding brain tissue, causing irreparable brain damage.

Hemorrhagic strokes are less common and may occur from head injuries, brain aneurysms, brain tumors, and bleeding disorders, amongst other conditions.

Both ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes require immediate medical treatment. Medical intervention can prevent severe and life-threatening brain damage. Signs of stroke include:

-Disorientation or confusion

-Difficulty speaking

-Difficulty walking

-Impaired vision

-Weakness in the face, legs, or arms

-Severe headaches

When someone suspected of having a stroke reaches the hospital, the patient will usually receive a CT or other scan that provides an image of the brain. The scan results can reveal clotted or leaking blood in the brain. Physical exams, neurological exams, and blood tests may also be used to check for blood clotting and sugar. Treatment begins generally immediately if a stroke is detected.

Medical treatment for ischemic strokes includes a thrombolytic medicine which breaks up and disperses blood clots. This medicine can greatly improve stroke recovery and long-term health. However, the thrombolytic medicine must be administered as soon as possible to achieve these results. Other treatments for ischemic strokes are blood thinners and thrombectomy, a surgical procedure to remove a blood clot in the brain. Thrombectomy is performed by inserting a catheter (thin needle) into the artery to reach the blood clot and mechanically remove it. With the clot removed, normal blood flow to the brain resumes. Thrombectomy is typically performed at most six hours after a patient shows signs of a stroke.

Hemorrhagic strokes are treated with blood-saving medication and surgery. For a hemorrhagic stroke caused by the rupture of an aneurysm (blood vessel bulges), surgery to stem the bleeding aneurysm and vessel may be used. One surgical technique is stent-assisted coiling, which adds a stent (small wire-meshed tube) into the blood vessel to block the leaking opening of the aneurysm. A non-surgical procedure is endovascular coiling, where a catheter (thin, hollow needle) places a platinum wire coil at the spot of the aneurysm. The coil blocks bleeding and prevents the aneurysm from continuing to leak blood. These procedures are usually combined with blood-thickening medications. Blood transfusions may be administered if substantial blood loss has occurred.

Since stroke patients may have lost some essential functions while the blood flow to their brains was obstructed, both ischemic stroke and hemorrhage stroke patients may receive post-stroke rehabilitation to rebuild their physical and mental abilities. Some restorative treatments include occupational, physical, and speech therapy. Patients may also receive care from neurologists, who can assist patients in recovering certain brain functions and cognitive abilities, and rehabilitation psychologists, who may help patients with their emotional, behavioral, and cognitive recovery. Some stroke patients require lengthy rehabilitation and may never fully regain function, while others may recover more quickly. While the fastest recovery improvements are usually seen in the first three or four months, stroke rehabilitation can last for years.

If someone begins to show signs of stroke, contact emergency services and call 9-1-1 immediately since blood flow must be restored as soon as possible to help avoid significant brain damage. If an ambulance takes the person to the hospital, paramedics can initiate stroke treatment as soon as the patient enters the ambulance, allowing for more prompt medical intervention and care.

In The News (see more mentions in the news)

“The Brain Tumor & Neurorestoration Program will be co-directed by Frank Furnari, a professor in the Division of Regenerative Medicine at the UCSD School of Medicine who runs a lab focused on...”—"La Jolla News Nuggets: Children's Pool repair, new magnolia tree, health news", The San Diego Union-Tribune, October 2024

“Dr. Alexander Khalessi, a neurosurgeon at UCSD, says technological advances are transforming the field known as electrophysiology.”—"Robots and lasers are helping doctors treat severe epilepsy", NPR, February 2023

“"If you think about the brain like a musical instrument, the electrophysiology is the music," says Dr. Alexander Khalessi, a neurosurgeon at UCSD.”—"Lasers, robots, and tiny electrodes are transforming treatment of severe epilepsy", NPR, February 2023

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2012 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA treated as a vascular surgeon in San Diego, CA during 2012 were vascular procedures, brain imaging (neuroimaging), minimally invasive procedures and catheterization.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA for Medicare patients.

brain imaging (neuroimaging)	28
catheterization	11
doctor visit	76
minimally invasive procedures	11
spinal procedures	11
vascular procedures	91

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2013 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA treated as a vascular surgeon in San Diego, CA during 2013 were vascular procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	91
vascular procedures	74

2013 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA.

**Gender**
Male	44
Female	50

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	53
Black	0
Hispanic	23
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	39
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	26

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA in 2013

Hypertension	68
High Cholesterol	50
Stroke	37
Ischemic Heart Disease	38
Depression	36
Chronic Kidney Disease	23
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	13
Heart Failure	15
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	15
Diabetes	37
Dementia	13
Cancer	0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2014 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA treated as a vascular surgeon in San Diego, CA during 2014 were vascular procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	97
vascular procedures	75

2014 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA.

**Gender**
Male	49
Female	45

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	64
Black	0
Hispanic	13
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	39
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	24

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA in 2014

Hypertension	73
High Cholesterol	55
Stroke	51
Ischemic Heart Disease	43
Depression	27
Chronic Kidney Disease	26
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	16
Heart Failure	26
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	16
Diabetes	35
Dementia	14
Cancer	12

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2015 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA treated as a vascular surgeon in San Diego, CA during 2015 were vascular procedures, minimally invasive procedures, catheterization and spinal procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA for Medicare patients.

catheterization	13
doctor visit	118
minimally invasive procedures	13
spinal procedures	13
vascular procedures	92

2015 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA.

**Gender**
Male	132
Female	92

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	128
Black	0
Hispanic	50
Asian	22
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	96
From 75 to 84	68
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA in 2015

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	61
Stroke	57
Ischemic Heart Disease	43
Depression	22
Chronic Kidney Disease	39
Asthma	13
Osteoperosis	13
Atrial Fibrilation	17
Heart Failure	29
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	11
Diabetes	32
Dementia	13
Cancer	0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2016 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA treated as a vascular surgeon in San Diego, CA during 2016 were vascular procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	148
vascular procedures	71

2016 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA.

**Gender**
Male	59
Female	57

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	67
Black	0
Hispanic	30
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	56
From 75 to 84	28
85 and over	11
Less than 65	21

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA in 2016

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	63
Stroke	44
Ischemic Heart Disease	47
Depression	34
Chronic Kidney Disease	38
Asthma	13
Osteoperosis	12
Atrial Fibrilation	15
Heart Failure	23
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	33
Dementia	25
Cancer	12

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2017 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA treated as a vascular surgeon in San Diego, CA during 2017 were vascular procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	108
vascular procedures	55

2017 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA.

**Gender**
Male	59
Female	52

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	68
Black	0
Hispanic	27
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	49
From 75 to 84	32
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA in 2017

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	53
Stroke	37
Ischemic Heart Disease	47
Depression	23
Chronic Kidney Disease	34
Asthma	10
Osteoperosis	11
Atrial Fibrilation	15
Heart Failure	25
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	17
Diabetes	37
Dementia	18
Cancer	11

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2018 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA treated as a vascular surgeon in San Diego, CA during 2018 were vascular procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	95
vascular procedures	47

2018 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA.

**Gender**
Male	41
Female	49

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	59
Black	0
Hispanic	16
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	31
From 75 to 84	40
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA in 2018

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	67
Stroke	30
Ischemic Heart Disease	47
Depression	24
Chronic Kidney Disease	30
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	16
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	21
Diabetes	33
Dementia	12
Cancer	20

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2019 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA treated as a vascular surgeon in San Diego, CA during 2019 were minimally invasive procedures, catheterization, spinal procedures and vascular procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA for Medicare patients.

catheterization	12
doctor visit	102
minimally invasive procedures	12
spinal procedures	12
vascular procedures	12

2019 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA.

**Gender**
Male	41
Female	59

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	65
Black	0
Hispanic	24
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	39
From 75 to 84	36
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA in 2019

Hypertension	73
High Cholesterol	62
Stroke	35
Ischemic Heart Disease	45
Depression	31
Chronic Kidney Disease	33
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	19
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	22
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	18
Diabetes	33
Dementia	15
Cancer	18

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2020 Medicare Procedure Volume

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	74

2020 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA.

**Gender**
Male	33
Female	46

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	56
Black	0
Hispanic	11
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	38
From 75 to 84	28
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA in 2020

Hypertension	66
High Cholesterol	59
Stroke	33
Ischemic Heart Disease	34
Depression	24
Chronic Kidney Disease	28
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	19
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	29
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	19
Dementia	20
Cancer	16

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2021 Medicare Procedure Volume

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	87

2021 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA.

**Gender**
Male	42
Female	52

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	59
Black	0
Hispanic	17
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	47
From 75 to 84	33
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA in 2021

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	70
Stroke	29
Ischemic Heart Disease	36
Depression	39
Chronic Kidney Disease	34
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	13
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	22
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	17
Diabetes	31
Dementia	14
Cancer	13

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2022 Medicare Procedure Volume

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	99

2022 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA.

**Gender**
Male	36
Female	61

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	66
Black	0
Hispanic	15
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	50
From 75 to 84	32
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA in 2022

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	75
Stroke	36
Ischemic Heart Disease	31
Depression	32
Chronic Kidney Disease	33
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	25
Atrial Fibrilation	15
Heart Failure	22
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	14
Diabetes	32
Dementia	0
Cancer	24

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2012 - 2022

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA treated as a vascular surgeon in San Diego, CA were vascular procedures, brain imaging (neuroimaging), minimally invasive procedures and catheterization.

brain imaging (neuroimaging)	28
catheterization	12
doctor visit	99
minimally invasive procedures	12
spinal procedures	12
vascular procedures	64

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2012 - 2022

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA.

**Gender**
Male	48
Female	51

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	0
Asian / Pacific Islander	2
Non-Hispanic White	62
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Hispanic	20
Other	0

**Age**
75 to 84	27
85 and over	1
Less than 65	6
65 to 74	44

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA From 2012 - 2022

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA treated were hypertension, high cholesterol, ischemic heart disease and stroke.

Hypertension	66
High Cholesterol	55
Stroke	35
Ischemic Heart Disease	37
Depression	26
Chronic Kidney Disease	28
Asthma	3
Osteoporosis	10
Heart Failure	20
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	11
Diabetes	29
Atrial Fibrillation	8
Dementia	13
Cancer	11

Education & Training

Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA graduated from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He completed residency at University of Southern California (USC) Affiliated Hospitals. He is certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery and has a state license in California.

Medical School: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Residency: University of Southern California (USC) Affiliated Hospitals

Board Certification: American Board of Neurological Surgery

Licensed In: California

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

UC San Diego Health

Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego

UC San Diego Health

Ratings & Reviews

Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA has an exceptional overall rating with an average of 4.73 out of 5 stars based on 147 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA from all over the web to help you find the right in San Diego, CA.

4.73

Overall Rating

(147 Ratings)

Leave a Review

General Payments

These charts describe general payments received by Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.

**Payments by Company**
Medtronic, Inc.	$343,977 PIPELINE $11,412	PERCEPT PC BRAINSENSE $1,675	Axium $600	MAZOR X SYSTEM $92	UNID_PASS $25	Other $330,173
Medtronic Neurovascular	$106,738 Neurovascular Stents $2,118	Flow Diversion $425	Coils $124	$104,070
Covidien LP	$49,940 Neurovascular Stents $23,702	Flow Diversion $16,580	Thrombectomy $9,400	Coils $125	Neurovascular Access Delivery $93	Other $39
Covidien Sales LLC	$30,418 Onyx $13,532	Flow Diversion $11,200	Thrombectomy $5,683	Neurovascular Stents $4
Stryker Corporation	$29,436 NEURO $13,578	Coils $7,607	TransForm $4,200	New Product Development $1,244	Universal Mid Face $658	Other $2,148
Other	$109,414 neurovascular $15,639	Apollo $9,118	LVIS $6,643	NEUROLOGICAL PRODUCT $5,497	PIPELINE $5,186	Other $67,332

**Types of Payments**
Compensation for services other than consulting, including serving as faculty or as a speaker at a venue other than a continuing education program	$444,812
Royalty or License	$116,983
Consulting Fee	$57,698
Travel and Lodging	$30,770
Food and Beverage	$18,248
Other	$1,410

Research Payments

Dr. Alexander A. Khalessi, MS, MD, MBA has received 21 research payments totaling $53,266.

Biography

Dr. Alexander Khalessi specializes in general practice, oncology (cancer care), and vascular surgery. He obtained his medical school training at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and performed his residency at a hospital affiliated with the University of Southern California (USC). These areas are among his clinical interests: concussion, brain aneurysm, and cancer. Patient ratings for Dr. Khalessi average 4.5 stars (out of 5). Dr. Khalessi (or staff) speaks Spanish and Persian. His hospital/clinic affiliations include UC San Diego Health and Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego.