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Dr. John Abikhaled was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and has made his home in Austin since 1981. After graduating from Rice University in 1988, he completed medical school and residency in General Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. He has practiced in Austin since 1997.

Dr. Abikhaled has special interest in thyroid and parathyroid surgery. He treats conditions such as thyroid nodules, thyroid cancer, and hyperparathyroidism. He uses advanced techniques such as MIRP (minimally invasive radio-guided parathyroidectomy) and IOPTH (intra-operative parathyroid hormone testing) to facilitate his patients’ surgery and recovery.

He has extensive experience in abdominal hernia repair, such as inguinal, umbilical, incisional, ventral, epigastric, and hiatal hernias. He is an experienced laparoscopic and robotic surgeon and has performed nearly 1000 robotic procedures, treating gallbladder disease, colon disease (including cancer and diverticulitis), hernias, acid reflux (GERD), and adrenal gland disease. Dr. Abikhaled treats a variety of cancer conditions, including breast cancer, melanoma of the skin, thyroid cancer, and colon cancer.

Dr. Abikhaled served as the president of the Travis County Medical Society in 2020, guiding our medical community’s response as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. He helped educate his colleagues about ways to manage and treat COVID-19, helped facilitate the availability of personal protective equipment, developed a local physician COVID-19 Facebook community, and creatively informed and educated the public with a music video (the “COVID Shuffle”) and a video blog.

He has served as Chief of General Surgery at Seton Medical Center and on hospital and surgery center boards and committees in the Austin area. Dr. Abikhaled has been recognized as an Austin Top Doctor every year since 2015 in Austin Monthly Magazine, and a Texas Monthly Super Doctor for more than 15 years, earning a “Hall of Fame” designation. He has also been recognized in U.S. News and World Report and Castle Connolly as a “Top Doctor”.

His wife, Dr. Shannon Abikhaled, is a gynecologist with Westlake Gynecology. Together with their three children, they enjoy travel, running, and water sports.

Education

  • Medical Degree: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (1992)
  • Residency: General Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (1997)

Associations

  • American Board of Surgery
  • American College of Surgeons
  • Texas Medical Association
  • Travis County Medical Society
  • American Hernia Society
  • Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons
  • Michael E. DeBakey International Surgery Society

Patient Reviews

  • Dr. Abikhaled is a highly skilled and effective surgeon. I had 4 consults before undergoing a non-elective thyroid procedure and chose him…I am glad I did! Now, 3 months post-surgery, my scar is barely visible…expertly hidden and is much smaller than the other doctors suggested. He is thoughtful, really listens to you, takes the time to answer all questions and answers in a way that a lay-person can understand. In short: I recommend Dr. Abikhaled. He is a real pro!

    ~ Alison K ~

  • I could not be happier with the results of the surgery Dr. Abikhaled performed on my stomach. I had no post-surgery problems and the recovery time was minimal. He described the procedure to be done in detail so that I understood exactly what to expect during the surgery, and after. This enabled me to have complete confidence and rest easily as I anticipated the procedure. His office staff were friendly, helpful and accommodating. I highly recommend Dr. Abikhaled.

    ~ Sharon M ~

  • Dr. Abikhaled performed my gallbladder removal surgery. I was back to work in 5 days, had zero pain post-surgery except from some soreness and it’s now two weeks out and I feel great! From the moment I met him he was kind, compassionate, intentional with our doctor visits and ensured that I understood my plan of care every step of the way. I highly recommend!

    ~ Vanessa F ~

Austin Surgeons