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Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD

Accepting New Patients

(Dr. Dara Heisler Christante, MD)

(155 Ratings)

Specializes in: General Surgery and Colon & Rectal Surgery

University of Texas Southwestern Medical School (2004)

Professional interests include: anal fistula, fistula, anorectal problems, and more.

217 West Cataldo Avenue
Spokane, WA 99201

(509) 747-6194

Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD is a general surgeon in Spokane, WA specializing in general surgery and colon & rectal surgery. She graduated from University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in 2004 and has 22 years of experience. Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD is affiliated with Providence and Providence Medical Group - Inland Northwest.

Office Locations

Providence Medical Group - Inland Northwest

217 West Cataldo Avenue
Spokane, WA 99201

(509) 747-6194

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Some issues Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD can help you with:

Colectomy (Colon Resection)

Colectomy is surgery to remove all or part of the colon, or the longest part of the large intestine. The colon may be affected by diseases such as cancer or inflammatory bowel disease. In a colectomy, all or part of the colon that is infected, blocked, or cancerous is removed.

A colectomy may be performed by laparoscopic or open surgery. A laparoscopic colectomy requires several small cuts on the abdomen, and uses a thin tube with a camera, called a laparoscope. Laparoscopic colectomies are less invasive than open procedures. For some individuals, a laparoscopic colectomy may not be possible, and instead an open colectomy is performed. In an open colectomy, a large incision is made on the abdomen. Open colectomies typically require longer recovery periods.

After the incisions are made, a portion of the colon is removed, and the remaining ends of the colon are attached to each other in a procedure called anastomosis. Waste can continue to travel through the body as normal. However, in some situations, it may be necessary for the end of the colon to be attached to an opening in the abdomen, called a stoma. This procedure is called an ostomy. Types of ostomies include:

Colostomy, in which the remaining portion of the colon is attached to the abdominal opening.
Ileostomy, in which the small intestine is attached to the abdominal opening.

An ostomy bag will be attached to the skin to collect waste. If the entire colon is removed, either an ileostomy is performed, or the small intestine is connected to the anus and waste may pass through as normal.

Stomas may be permanent or temporary. If the stoma is temporary, the ends of the colon will be rejoined in a later procedure. Temporary stomas are generally used to allow time for the colon to heal following surgery.

A colectomy may take between one and four hours. Following the procedure, patients will need to consume a liquid and low fiber diet before gradually returning to their normal diet. Patients will need to stay in the hospital for three to seven days for monitoring. Full recovery and return to normal activity may take anywhere from a few weeks to several months.

Colonoscopy

Colonoscopy is the use of a special tool called a colonoscope (a thin, flexible tube with a camera on the end) to examine the inside of the colon and rectum. The tube is typically inserted anally, and it allows the physician to examine the large intestine from the inside. It may be done at any time to diagnose bowel problems, but routine colonoscopies are advised after the age of 50 to screen for colon cancer.

A colonoscopy may be performed to diagnose:

Intestinal ulcers
Polyps
Bowel cancer
An unidentified source of pain or bleeding in the intestine

Patients may be asked to drink only liquids in the days before a colonoscopy, or they may be given an enema to remove residual fecal matter. Before the exam, patients are given medication to help them relax, and then lay on their side on a table. The scope is inserted into the anus and gently moved all the way through the large intestine. Air may be pumped into the intestine to improve the view for the physician. Any polyps that are found will be removed. Then the colonoscope will be withdrawn. A colonoscopy is not usually painful, but patients may feel some bloating or have some cramps right afterward. If patients have polyps removed, they might experience a small amount of bleeding. Any side effects should go away within a few hours.

Proctectomy (Rectum Resection)

Proctectomy is the surgical removal of the rectum, which, along with the anus and colon, is part of the large intestine. Rectal resection (removal) is used in the treatment of cancers and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). For rectal cancers that have not spread outside of the large intestine, proctectomy is the primary treatment option.

The type of proctectomy performed depends on the severity and location of the cancer. If the cancer is confined to the rectum, only the rectum will need to be removed. Surgery can be done transanally, without an incision on the stomach, if the cancer can be reached through the anus.

For cancers higher in the rectum (closer to the colon), a low anterior resection is done. Low anterior resection uses an incision on the abdomen to access the cancerous portions of the rectum. The remaining parts of the large intestine can be connected in a procedure called anastomosis, and waste can exit through the anus as usual. In some cases, surgeons may choose to perform a type of anastomosis called temporary ileostomy. This involves attaching the end of the small intestine (ileum) to an opening in the abdomen (stoma), through which waste will exit the body and be collected in a small pouch. This is done if patients have previously undergone other cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, to give the remaining ends of the large intestine time to heal before waste passes through them again. The ends will be reconnected at a later date, typically within several weeks.

For rectal cancer that has spread to the anus, abdominoperineal resection is an option. Abdominoperineal resection removes the cancerous lower rectum along with part or all of the anus and, sometimes, part of the colon. Removing part of the anus can lead to waste leaking, so a permanent colostomy is always done during abdominoperineal resection. Colostomy is similar to ileostomy, but instead of the ileum, the end of the colon is attached to a stoma, through which waste will flow into a collection bag. Surgeons will make incisions in the abdomen and around the anus to perform this procedure.

For the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, proctocolectomy is done. IBD causes infections and ulcers to occur in the colon, but it can spread to other parts of the large intestine as well, such as the rectum. If this is the case, removing the rectum along with the colon in a proctocolectomy can be used to treat IBD in the event that it has not responded to conservative approaches, such as medication.

After a proctectomy, patients will need to stay in the hospital for around one week, if they experience no complications. Patients may receive restrictions on diet and physical activity following the procedure, as well as medication to treat any pain. If patients have a stoma, they will also be given instructions on how to care for it. Full recovery may take up to six weeks.

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2012 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD treated as a general surgeon in Spokane, WA during 2012 were hospital care, inpatient care, lab tests and blood draw.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD for Medicare patients.

blood draw	40
doctor visit	159
gastrointestinal procedures	13
hospital care	98
inpatient care	98
lab tests	51
minimally invasive procedures	13

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2013 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD treated as a general surgeon in Spokane, WA during 2013 were hospital care, inpatient care, blood draw and gastrointestinal procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD for Medicare patients.

blood draw	40
doctor visit	184
gastrointestinal procedures	37
hospital care	72
inpatient care	72
lab tests	22
manometry	12
minimally invasive procedures	14

2013 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD.

**Gender**
Male	77
Female	132

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	197
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	105
From 75 to 84	50
85 and over	26
Less than 65	28

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD in 2013

Hypertension	65
High Cholesterol	57
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	36
Depression	30
Chronic Kidney Disease	26
Asthma	7
Osteoperosis	12
Atrial Fibrilation	14
Heart Failure	19
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	18
Diabetes	25
Dementia	6
Cancer	27

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2014 Medicare Procedure Volume

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	31

2014 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD.

**Gender**
Male	41
Female	51

**Age**
From 65 to 74	36
From 75 to 84	23
85 and over	13
Less than 65	20

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD in 2014

Hypertension	72
High Cholesterol	50
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	36
Depression	29
Chronic Kidney Disease	27
Asthma	13
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	15
Heart Failure	0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	18
Diabetes	26
Dementia	0
Cancer	20

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2015 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD treated as a general surgeon in Spokane, WA during 2015 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD for Medicare patients.

hospital care	51
inpatient care	51

2015 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD.

**Gender**
Male	76
Female	64

**Age**
From 65 to 74	50
From 75 to 84	28
85 and over	22
Less than 65	40

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD in 2015

Hypertension	64
High Cholesterol	47
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	37
Depression	44
Chronic Kidney Disease	37
Asthma	40
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	20
Heart Failure	19
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	30
Diabetes	27
Dementia	0
Cancer	27

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2016 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD treated as a general surgeon in Spokane, WA during 2016 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	138
hospital care	171
inpatient care	171

2016 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD.

**Gender**
Male	59
Female	126

**Age**
From 65 to 74	65
From 75 to 84	56
85 and over	21
Less than 65	43

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD in 2016

Hypertension	63
High Cholesterol	39
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	28
Depression	37
Chronic Kidney Disease	42
Asthma	25
Osteoperosis	12
Atrial Fibrilation	11
Heart Failure	25
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	18
Diabetes	30
Dementia	14
Cancer	29

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2017 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD treated as a general surgeon in Spokane, WA during 2017 were hospital care, inpatient care, removal of lesion (e.g. growth) and minimally invasive procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD for Medicare patients.

diagnostic procedures	11
doctor visit	137
gastrointestinal procedures	11
hospital care	195
inpatient care	195
minimally invasive procedures	11
removal of lesion (e.g. growth)	11

2017 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD.

**Gender**
Male	83
Female	142

**Age**
From 65 to 74	89
From 75 to 84	65
85 and over	28
Less than 65	43

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD in 2017

Hypertension	66
High Cholesterol	42
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	27
Depression	29
Chronic Kidney Disease	41
Asthma	11
Osteoperosis	11
Atrial Fibrilation	15
Heart Failure	17
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	18
Diabetes	26
Dementia	12
Cancer	32

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2018 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD treated as a general surgeon in Spokane, WA during 2018 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	106
hospital care	175
inpatient care	175

2018 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD.

**Gender**
Male	70
Female	124

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	180
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	102
From 75 to 84	58
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD in 2018

Hypertension	57
High Cholesterol	45
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	23
Depression	31
Chronic Kidney Disease	34
Asthma	10
Osteoperosis	10
Atrial Fibrilation	9
Heart Failure	13
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	14
Diabetes	22
Dementia	8
Cancer	28

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2019 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD treated as a general surgeon in Spokane, WA during 2019 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	195
hospital care	118
inpatient care	118

2019 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD.

**Gender**
Male	83
Female	166

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	230
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	113
From 75 to 84	52
85 and over	32
Less than 65	52

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD in 2019

Hypertension	59
High Cholesterol	44
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	26
Depression	33
Chronic Kidney Disease	38
Asthma	12
Osteoperosis	11
Atrial Fibrilation	10
Heart Failure	18
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	17
Diabetes	27
Dementia	11
Cancer	28

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2020 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD treated as a general surgeon in Spokane, WA during 2020 were hospital care, inpatient care, minimally invasive procedures and abdominal surgery.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD for Medicare patients.

abdominal surgery	15
doctor visit	175
gastrointestinal procedures	15
hospital care	103
inpatient care	103
minimally invasive procedures	15

2020 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD.

**Gender**
Male	64
Female	135

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	186
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	93
From 75 to 84	55
85 and over	17
Less than 65	34

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD in 2020

Hypertension	55
High Cholesterol	39
Stroke	8
Ischemic Heart Disease	25
Depression	33
Chronic Kidney Disease	31
Asthma	9
Osteoperosis	16
Atrial Fibrilation	11
Heart Failure	17
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	19
Diabetes	21
Dementia	12
Cancer	30

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2021 Medicare Procedure Volume

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	165

2021 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD.

**Gender**
Male	60
Female	116

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	158
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	78
From 75 to 84	51
85 and over	21
Less than 65	26

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD in 2021

Hypertension	62
High Cholesterol	44
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	27
Depression	32
Chronic Kidney Disease	38
Asthma	10
Osteoperosis	14
Atrial Fibrilation	10
Heart Failure	22
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	19
Diabetes	23
Dementia	10
Cancer	28

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2022 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD treated as a general surgeon in Spokane, WA during 2022 were minimally invasive procedures and gastrointestinal procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	174
gastrointestinal procedures	13
minimally invasive procedures	13

2022 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD.

**Gender**
Male	61
Female	105

**Age**
From 65 to 74	65
From 75 to 84	51
85 and over	14
Less than 65	36

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD in 2022

Hypertension	67
High Cholesterol	61
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	23
Depression	33
Chronic Kidney Disease	23
Asthma	13
Osteoperosis	22
Atrial Fibrilation	21
Heart Failure	12
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	20
Diabetes	23
Dementia	7
Cancer	40

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2023 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD treated as a general surgeon in Spokane, WA during 2023 were hospital care, inpatient care, minimally invasive procedures and gastrointestinal procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	201
gastrointestinal procedures	19
hospital care	33
inpatient care	33
minimally invasive procedures	19

2023 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD.

**Gender**
Male	80
Female	132

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	201
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	101
From 75 to 84	55
85 and over	26
Less than 65	30

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD in 2023

Hypertension	66
High Cholesterol	60
Stroke	6
Ischemic Heart Disease	18
Depression	29
Chronic Kidney Disease	20
Asthma	11
Osteoperosis	22
Atrial Fibrilation	21
Heart Failure	17
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	17
Diabetes	21
Dementia	9
Cancer	39

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2012 - 2023

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD treated as a general surgeon in Spokane, WA were hospital care, inpatient care, blood draw and lab tests.

abdominal surgery	15
blood draw	40
diagnostic procedures	11
doctor visit	151
gastrointestinal procedures	18
hospital care	112
inpatient care	112
lab tests	36
manometry	12
minimally invasive procedures	14
removal of lesion (e.g. growth)	11

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2012 - 2023

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD.

**Gender**
Female	107
Male	62

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	0
Asian / Pacific Islander	0
Non-Hispanic White	96
Hispanic	0
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Other	0

**Age**
85 and over	18
75 to 84	45
Less than 65	29
65 to 74	74

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD From 2012 - 2023

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD treated were hypertension, high cholesterol, depression and chronic kidney disease.

Hypertension	58
High Cholesterol	44
Stroke	1
Ischemic Heart Disease	25
Depression	30
Chronic Kidney Disease	29
Asthma	13
Osteoporosis	10
Heart Failure	14
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	17
Diabetes	22
Atrial Fibrillation	13
Dementia	7
Cancer	27

Education & Training

Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD graduated from University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in 2004. She completed residency at Oregon Health & Science University Affiliated Hospitals. She is certified by the American Board of Surgery, Surgery (General Surgery) and has a state license in Washington.

Medical School: University of Texas Southwestern Medical School (2004)

Residency: Oregon Health & Science University Affiliated Hospitals (2011)

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

Licensed In: Washington

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

Providence

Providence Medical Group - Inland Northwest

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. Dara H. Christante, MD appears to accept the following insurance providers: CIGNA PPO, CIGNA HMO, Molina Healthcare, TriWest, Medicare and First Choice PPO.

Insurance Accepted by Provider includes:

According to our sources, Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD accepts the following insurance providers:

CIGNA PPO

CIGNA HMO

Molina Healthcare

TriWest

Medicare

First Choice PPO

Ratings & Reviews

Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD has an exceptional overall rating with an average of 4.77 out of 5 stars based on 155 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Dr. Dara H. Christante, MD from all over the web to help you find the right in Spokane, WA.

4.77

Overall Rating

(155 Ratings)

Leave a Review

Reviews Left On DocSpot

Overall Rating: 1.0 2020-11-03

Dara Heisler Christante is an uprofessional, rude, egotistical sociopath who will insult you if you do not worship her uninformed medical opinion. My dog understands disease better than this quack.

General Payments

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

**Payments by Company**
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.	$3,399 Da Vinci Surgical System $3,399
Medtronic USA, Inc.	$77 Sacral Nerve Stimulation - Neuro $48	INTERSTIM $28
Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd	$69 Solesta $69
Mallinckrodt LLC	$45 OFIRMEV $45
Ethicon US, LLC	$26 Biologics $26
Other	$98 Vessel Sealing $24	Spy $20	FLUENT FLUID MANAGEMENT SYSTEM $15	GATTEX $15	OSTOMY CARE $14	Other $11

**Types of Payments**
Education	$3,000
Food and Beverage	$669
Travel and Lodging	$26
Gift	$17

Biography

Dr. Dara Christante specializes in general surgery and colon & rectal surgery and practices in Spokane, WA. These areas are among her clinical interests: incision and drainage of perianal abscess, polypectomy (polyp removal), and surgical repair. She is affiliated with Providence. After attending the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, Dr. Christante completed her residency training at a hospital affiliated with Oregon Health & Science University. The average patient rating for Dr. Christante is 5.0 stars (out of 5). Dr. Christante most likely takes Molina Healthcare, Cigna, and CIGNA Plans, as well as other insurance carriers.