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Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD

Accepting New Patients

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Specializes in: General Surgery
Professional interests include: partial splenectomy, muscle biopsy, laparoscopic splenectomy, and more.
3304 Renner Drive
Fortuna, CA 95540

Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD is a general surgeon in Fortuna, CA specializing in general surgery. Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD is affiliated with Providence, Providence Medical Foundation, Providence Medical Group Humboldt and Providence Redwood Memorial Hospital.

View Doctor's Full Profile (707) 725-9832

Office Locations

Providence Redwood Memorial Hospital

3304 Renner Drive
Fortuna, CA 95540
(707) 725-9832
open_in_new

Some issues Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD can help you with:

Biopsy

A biopsy is a procedure performed to remove a small sample of cells for testing. The cells are examined in a laboratory to check for disease, or sometimes to see how badly a known disease is affecting them. Biopsy can be performed on any part of the body.

Although biopsy is most often associated with cancer, it can also be used to check for other diseases, such as infections. A biopsy sample can be scraped, cut, collected with a needle, taken with a machine that punches out a tiny piece, or removed with the tiny tools in an endoscope.

In most cases, a biopsy is a simple outpatient procedure. Depending on the procedure, patients may need to stop taking certain medications beforehand, such as blood thinners. It is important for patients to tell doctors if they are pregnant, as certain biopsies require the use of x-rays to guide the needle to the right location. There is usually very little pain associated with a biopsy. Patients will have to wait a few days to hear the results.

Breast Biopsy

Breast biopsy is a procedure where a small sample of tissue is collected from the breast for testing. A physician may prescribe a breast biopsy for a variety of reasons, but they are most frequently prescribed for a lump found in the breast. Biopsy samples extracted are examined by pathologists in a laboratory setting and are tested to determine if they are cancerous or benign, or indicative of some other condition. Depending on the lab results, physicians may prescribe additional treatment. Other circumstances which may prompt a breast biopsy include:

  • Mammograms that detect other unusual features in the chest, such as a cyst or calcium deposit
  • Breast scans or ultrasounds that display abnormalities
  • Nipple changes, such as scaling, crusting, or bloody discharge

Breast biopsies are collected through several different procedures and the specific type of biopsy that a patient receives depends on the size, location, and features of a breast lump or irregularity. The three main methods of collecting a breast biopsy include:

  • Fine needle aspiration (FNA biopsy), where a thin needle is directed into a breast lump or abnormality, extracting a small sample of tissue or liquid
  • Core needle biopsy (CNB biopsy), where a hollow needle is directed into a breast lump or abnormality, extracting cylinders of tissue called "cores"
  • Open (surgical) biopsy, where a breast lump is removed through an incision in the breast

Fine needle aspiration (FNA) and core needle biopsy (CNB) are sometimes image-guided, where a mammogram, ultrasound, or MRI helps direct the physician performing the needle extraction.

Fine needle aspiration, the most common biopsy method, generally requires few patient preparations. It is recommended patients avoid using lotion, deodorant, and perfume prior to their biopsy procedure. FNA biopsy is performed with local anesthesia (topical numbing cream) and typically has a quick recovery, but patients may experience soreness for a few days. Core needle biopsy extracts slightly more tissue than an FNA biopsy.

Open (surgical) biopsy is more invasive and requires general anesthesia, where patients are put to sleep during the procedure. Patients must fast prior to the surgery. After the biopsy is performed, patients are monitored in a recovery room for a time before being discharged, when they will need someone else to provide transportation.

Although some may consider breast biopsy to be a simple procedure, it can catch critical issues - particularly breast cancer - that impact wellness. If a breast biopsy reveals an underlying condition like life-threatening cancer, patients can receive the diagnosis and medical treatment that is necessary for their long-term health.

Pancreatectomy (Pancreas Removal)

Pancreatectomy is surgery to remove part or all of the pancreas to treat pancreatitis, tumors, or cancer. The pancreas is located behind the stomach and near the small intestine and spleen. There are three sections of the pancreas:

  • The head, which is the portion closest to the intestines
  • The body, which is the middle portion of the pancreas
  • The tail, which is the portion nearest the spleen

Pancreas removal procedures differ based on how much of the pancreas and surrounding organs are removed. There are three types of pancreatectomy:

  • Distal pancreatectomy removes the tail and body of the pancreas. This procedure treats tumors confined to these areas.
  • Pancreaticoduodenectomy, or the Whipple procedure, removes the pancreas, duodenum, bile duct, and, sometimes, part of the stomach. The Whipple procedure is used for pancreatic tumors that have not spread past the head of the pancreas and for other conditions affecting the pancreas, duodenum, and bile duct.
  • Total pancreatectomy removes the whole pancreas along with the duodenum, gallbladder, parts of the stomach and bile duct, surrounding lymph nodes, and, potentially, the spleen. Rarely performed, total pancreatectomy treats conditions that involve the entire pancreas, such as tumors found in multiple sites on the pancreas, or for rare tumors such as intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN).

Pancreatectomy can be done by open or minimally invasive surgery. During a laparoscopic pancreatectomy, the surgeon will use tiny incisions to insert a thin tube with a camera, or laparoscope, into the abdomen. Open surgery, or a laparotomy, is performed through a larger incision on the abdomen. If additional organs are removed, some procedures may require that the small intestine be reconnected to the stomach.

The hospital for pancreatectomy stay may be between 1-3 weeks. Generally, laparoscopic surgeries require shorter recovery periods. Whether patients undergo an open or laparoscopic procedure is determined by factors such as their condition and the extent of their procedure. For example, open surgery tends to be more common for distal pancreatectomies. If patients have difficulty eating, they may require a nasogastric tube, inserted through the nose, to carry food to their stomachs. A catheter can be inserted into the bladder if patients have trouble urinating. Full recovery may take about two months.

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2012 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD treated as a general surgeon in Fortuna, CA during 2012 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit 25
hospital care 50
inpatient care 50

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2013 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD treated as a general surgeon in Fortuna, CA during 2013 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD for Medicare patients.

hospital care 83
inpatient care 83

2013 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD.

Gender
Male 26
Female 30
Age
From 65 to 74 21
From 75 to 84 0
85 and over 13
Less than 65 0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD in 2013

Hypertension 66
High Cholesterol 30
Stroke 0
Ischemic Heart Disease 23
Depression 30
Chronic Kidney Disease 23
Asthma 0
Osteoperosis 0
Atrial Fibrilation 0
Heart Failure 21
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 0
Diabetes 20
Dementia 0
Cancer 23

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2014 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD treated as a general surgeon in Fortuna, CA during 2014 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD for Medicare patients.

hospital care 36
inpatient care 36

2014 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD.

Gender
Male 23
Female 17
Age
From 65 to 74 0
From 75 to 84 16
85 and over 0
Less than 65 0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD in 2014

Hypertension 65
High Cholesterol 38
Stroke 0
Ischemic Heart Disease 35
Depression 0
Chronic Kidney Disease 0
Asthma 0
Osteoperosis 0
Atrial Fibrilation 0
Heart Failure 33
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 0
Diabetes 30
Dementia 0
Cancer 0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2015 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD treated as a general surgeon in Fortuna, CA during 2015 were hospital care, inpatient care, removal of lesion (e.g. growth) and minimally invasive procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD for Medicare patients.

diagnostic procedures 14
gastrointestinal procedures 14
hospital care 90
inpatient care 90
minimally invasive procedures 14
removal of lesion (e.g. growth) 14

2015 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD.

Gender
Male 44
Female 58
Age
From 65 to 74 0
From 75 to 84 34
85 and over 32
Less than 65 0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD in 2015

Hypertension 71
High Cholesterol 35
Stroke 0
Ischemic Heart Disease 41
Depression 29
Chronic Kidney Disease 37
Asthma 0
Osteoperosis 0
Atrial Fibrilation 0
Heart Failure 39
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 27
Diabetes 41
Dementia 24
Cancer 0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2016 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD treated as a general surgeon in Fortuna, CA during 2016 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit 202
hospital care 133
inpatient care 133

2016 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD.

Gender
Male 112
Female 132
Ethnicity
Non-Hispanic White 230
Black 0
Hispanic 0
Asian 0
Other 0
Native American 0
Age
From 65 to 74 76
From 75 to 84 70
85 and over 41
Less than 65 57

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD in 2016

Hypertension 61
High Cholesterol 39
Stroke 5
Ischemic Heart Disease 34
Depression 35
Chronic Kidney Disease 34
Asthma 21
Osteoperosis 8
Atrial Fibrilation 16
Heart Failure 20
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 16
Diabetes 29
Dementia 17
Cancer 20

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2017 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD treated as a general surgeon in Fortuna, CA during 2017 were hospital care, inpatient care, catheterization and open surgery.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD for Medicare patients.

abdominal surgery 11
catheterization 17
doctor visit 219
gastrointestinal procedures 11
hospital care 108
inpatient care 108
open surgery 11

2017 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD.

Gender
Male 126
Female 147
Age
From 65 to 74 94
From 75 to 84 81
85 and over 33
Less than 65 65

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD in 2017

Hypertension 64
High Cholesterol 42
Stroke 5
Ischemic Heart Disease 36
Depression 38
Chronic Kidney Disease 33
Asthma 13
Osteoperosis 9
Atrial Fibrilation 15
Heart Failure 20
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 24
Diabetes 30
Dementia 15
Cancer 21

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2018 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD treated as a general surgeon in Fortuna, CA during 2018 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit 94
hospital care 88
inpatient care 88

2018 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD.

Gender
Male 72
Female 82
Age
From 65 to 74 56
From 75 to 84 38
85 and over 25
Less than 65 35

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD in 2018

Hypertension 73
High Cholesterol 49
Stroke 0
Ischemic Heart Disease 44
Depression 41
Chronic Kidney Disease 44
Asthma 13
Osteoperosis 0
Atrial Fibrilation 16
Heart Failure 28
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 23
Diabetes 35
Dementia 14
Cancer 21

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2019 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD.

Ethnicity
Non-Hispanic White 14
Black 0
Hispanic 0
Asian 0
Other 0
Native American 0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2020 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD treated as a general surgeon in Fortuna, CA during 2020 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD for Medicare patients.

hospital care 36
inpatient care 36

2020 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD.

Gender
Male 30
Female 30
Age
From 65 to 74 24
From 75 to 84 18
85 and over 0
Less than 65 0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD in 2020

Hypertension 70
High Cholesterol 63
Stroke 0
Ischemic Heart Disease 43
Depression 43
Chronic Kidney Disease 35
Asthma 0
Osteoperosis 18
Atrial Fibrilation 0
Heart Failure 18
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 27
Diabetes 23
Dementia 0
Cancer 0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2021 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD treated as a general surgeon in Fortuna, CA during 2021 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD for Medicare patients.

hospital care 69
inpatient care 69

2021 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD.

Gender
Male 30
Female 40
Age
From 65 to 74 27
From 75 to 84 21
85 and over 0
Less than 65 0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD in 2021

Hypertension 75
High Cholesterol 50
Stroke 0
Ischemic Heart Disease 60
Depression 44
Chronic Kidney Disease 69
Asthma 0
Osteoperosis 0
Atrial Fibrilation 30
Heart Failure 44
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 33
Diabetes 36
Dementia 20
Cancer 17

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2022 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD treated as a general surgeon in Fortuna, CA during 2022 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD for Medicare patients.

hospital care 34
inpatient care 34

2022 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD.

Gender
Male 30
Female 29
Age
From 65 to 74 19
From 75 to 84 18
85 and over 0
Less than 65 0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD in 2022

Hypertension 73
High Cholesterol 75
Stroke 0
Ischemic Heart Disease 22
Depression 32
Chronic Kidney Disease 31
Asthma 0
Osteoperosis 0
Atrial Fibrilation 27
Heart Failure 32
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 22
Diabetes 24
Dementia 0
Cancer 0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2012 - 2022

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD treated as a general surgeon in Fortuna, CA were hospital care, inpatient care, catheterization and minimally invasive procedures.

abdominal surgery 11
catheterization 17
diagnostic procedures 14
doctor visit 135
gastrointestinal procedures 12
hospital care 72
inpatient care 72
minimally invasive procedures 14
open surgery 11
removal of lesion (e.g. growth) 14

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2012 - 2022

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD.

Gender
Male 44
Female 51
Ethnicity
Black / African American 0
Asian / Pacific Islander 0
Non-Hispanic White 22
Native American / Alaskan Native 0
Hispanic 0
Other 0
Age
75 to 84 26
85 and over 13
Less than 65 14
65 to 74 28

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD From 2012 - 2022

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD treated were hypertension, high cholesterol, ischemic heart disease and chronic kidney disease.

Hypertension 56
High Cholesterol 38
Stroke 0
Ischemic Heart Disease 30
Depression 26
Chronic Kidney Disease 27
Asthma 4
Osteoporosis 3
Heart Failure 23
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 15
Diabetes 24
Atrial Fibrillation 9
Dementia 8
Cancer 9

Education & Training

He is certified by the American Board of Surgery, Surgery (General Surgery) and has a state license in Montana.

Board Certification: American Board of Surgery, Surgery (General Surgery)

Licensed In: Montana

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

Providence
Providence Medical Foundation
Providence Medical Group Humboldt
Providence Redwood Memorial Hospital

Insurance Information

Please note: Insurance information may change at any time, and the provider may accept your insurance plan even if it is not listed below. Please contact the provider's office to confirm that your insurance is accepted.

Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD appears to accept the following insurance providers: Aetna PPO, Aetna HMO, CIGNA PPO, Western Health Advantage HMO, Blue Shield of California, MultiPlan PPO, Medicare Advantage, HealthSmart, Interplan PPO, TriWest, Anthem Blue Cross PPO, Health Net PPO, Anthem, Coventry PPO, United Healthcare PPO, US Family Health Plan, Aetna Medicare PPO, Partnership Health Plan of California and CoventryFirst Health PPO.

Insurance Accepted by Provider includes:

According to our sources, Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD accepts the following insurance providers:

Aetna PPO
Aetna HMO
CIGNA PPO
Western Health Advantage HMO
Blue Shield of California
MultiPlan PPO
Medicare Advantage
HealthSmart
Interplan PPO
TriWest
Anthem Blue Cross PPO
Health Net PPO
Anthem
Coventry PPO
United Healthcare PPO
US Family Health Plan
Aetna Medicare PPO
Partnership Health Plan of California
CoventryFirst Health PPO

Ratings & Reviews

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General Payments

These charts describe general payments received by Dr. Christopher J. Lee, MD. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.

Payments by Company
Sonex Health, Inc. $110 Sx-one Microknife
$110
Genentech, Inc. $71
$71
Linvatec Corporation $36 Allograft Tissue
$25 		Linvatec Shoulder Arthroscopy
$12
Types of Payments
Food and Beverage $217

Biography

Dr. Christopher Lee works as a general surgery. These areas are among Dr. Lee's clinical interests: laparoscopic gastrostomy, fine needle aspiration (FNA), and pancreatectomy (pancreas removal). He is professionally affiliated with Providence Medical Foundation. He can accept Anthem, Blue California, and HealthSmart, as well as other insurance carriers. He welcomes new patients at his office inFortuna, CA as reported by Providence Medical Foundation. He graduated from Loyola University Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine.

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