Siva Raja, MD, PhD
Primary Location
Cleveland Clinic Main Campus
- Appointment:
- 216.445.6860
- Desk:
- 216.444.4063
- Fax:
- 216.636.6996
Treatment & Services
- Abdominal Surgery
- Achalasia: Diagnosis and Treatment
- Bronchial Biopsy
- Bronchoscopy
- Bronchus Surgery
- Cancer Center
- Chest Surgery
- Claggetts Window
- Complex Abdominal Hernia Repair
- Decortication
- Diaphragm Surgery
- Diverticulectomy
- Epigastric Hernia Repair
- Esophageal Dilation
- Esophageal Surgery
- Esophagectomy
- Esophagogastroduodenoscopy
- Esophagus Endoscopy
- Gastrointestinal Surgery
- GERD Surgery
- Heller Myotomy
- High Risk Reoperation Surgery
- Laparoscopic Antireflux Surgery
- Laparoscopic Hernia Surgery
- Lobectomy, VATS Lobectomy
- Lung Biopsy
- Lung Cancer Surgery
- Lung Lesion Surgery
- Lung Surgery
- Mediastinal Biopsy Surgery
- Mediastinal Masses Surgery
- Mediastinal surgery
- Mediastinum Surgery
- Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgeries
- Nodulectomy
- Pericardial Window
- Pericardium Surgery
- Pleurectomy
- Pneumonectomy
- Removal of Part or Whole Lung
- Robotic Esophagectomy
- Robotic Surgery
- Robotic Thoracic Surgery
- Robotically Assisted Thoracic Surgery
- Robotically Assisted Thymectomy
- Sleeve Lobectomy
- Stomach Surgery
- Surgical Biopsy of Thoracic Lymph Nodes
- Surgical Treatment of Lung Nodules
- Thoracentesis
- Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Section
- Thoracic Surgery
- Thoracic Surgery Department
- Thoracoscopic Surgery
- Thymectomy
- Thymus Gland Surgery
- Tracheostomy
- Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS)
- Wedge Resection
Specialty in Diseases & Conditions
- Abdominal Abscess
- Abdominal Hernia
- Angiosarcomas
- Barrett's Esophagus
- Cancer
- Collapsed Lung
- Collis Nissen/Nissen
- Diaphragm Hernia
- Epiphrenic Diverticulum
- Esophageal Cancer
- Esophageal Diseases
- Esophageal Perforation
- Esophageal Stricture
- Esophagitis
- Esophagus Disease
- Gastroesophageal Reflux (GERD)
- Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GIST)
- Hiatal Hernia
- Hyperhidrosis
- Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD)
- Lung Abscess
- Lung Cancer
- Lung Nodules
- Lungs
- Mediastinal Tumor
- Pericardial Effusion
- Pleural Effusion
- Pneumothorax
- Pulmonary Nodules
- Rare Cancer and Blood Disease Program
- Stomach Cancer
- Swallowing Disorders
- Thoracic Cancer
- Thymic Tumors
- Thymoma
- Tracheoesophageal Fistula
- Windpipe Injury
- Zenker's Diverticulum
Insurance
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View All PlansAbout Siva Raja, MD, PhD
Siva Raja, MD, PhD, is Surgical Director of the Center for Esophageal Diseases and a staff thoracic surgeon in the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at the Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute at Cleveland Clinic. He is board certified in surgery.
Specialty interests: Achalasia, esophageal cancer, lung cancer, Hiatal hernia, cancers and tumors of the chest and chest wall, minimally invasive and endoscopic surgery and procedures. POEM surgery, general thoracic surgery, robotic surgery, reflux, esophageal failure.
Number of Procedures Performed: Cleveland Clinic performs more than 1,700 thoracic procedures each year. All Cleveland Clinic thoracic surgeons complete between 350-450 thoracic cases per year. Dr. Raja specializes in esophageal surgeries including Laparoscopic Heller Myotomy, POEM which is an incision-less technique to treat achalasia.
Success rates: Cleveland Clinic thoracic surgeons perform a wide range of conditions, including lung, esophageal, chest wall, pleural, tracheal, mediastinal, foregut and diaphragm disease. Cleveland Clinic contributes to the Society of Thoracic Surgery Database in order to maintain the highest possible standards. Our outcomes include the lowest risk-adjusted mortality rate for lobectomy and esophagectomy in the nation. Success rates for specific procedures are available at http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/about-heart-vascular-institute/treatment-outcomes.aspx
Education and Training: Dr. Raja earned his medical degree and a PhD in molecular and cellular pathology from the University of Pittsburgh School Of Medicine, Pa. During his medical school career, Dr. Raja completed one-year research fellowships in thoracic surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and with the National Institute for Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn. Dr. Raja completed a general surgery residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, where he was named Chief Resident in his final year of training. He came to Cleveland Clinic in 2009 as a fellow in cardiothoracic surgery and was appointed to the medical staff in 2012.
Publications and Speaking: Since 2000, Dr. Raja has authored more than two dozen articles in leading surgery journals on esophageal cancer, lung cancer and other thoracic diseases, and he has contributed chapters to five medical textbooks. Dr. Raja has given presentations at meetings of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and other professional organizations.
About Dr. Raja: “Thoracic surgery has become an integral part of my life. It’s what I live and breathe on a daily basis and that’s what makes me a better doctor.”
Leisure activities: Golf, spending time with family
Education & Professional Highlights
Appointed
2012
Education & Fellowships
Fellowship - Cleveland Clinic
Cardiothoracic Surgery
Cleveland,
OH USA
2012
Residency - Brigham & Women's Hospital
General Surgery
Boston,
MA USA
2009
Graduate School - University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh,
PA USA
2004
Medical Education - University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Pittsburgh,
PA USA
2000
Undergraduate - Muhlenberg College
Allentown,
PA USA
1996
Certifications
- Surgery - General Surgery
- Thoracic Surgery - Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery
Specialty Interests
Achalasia, esophageal cancer, lung cancer, Hiatal hernia, cancers and tumors of the chest and chest wall, minimally invasive and endoscopic surgery and procedures. POEM surgery, general thoracic surgery, robotic surgery, reflux, esophageal failure.
Awards & Honors
- Charles H Bryan Clinical Excellence in Residency Award.
- 2012Thoracic Surgery In-service achievement award. 2010.
- Allegheny Medical Society Student Award. 2004.
Research & Publications
See publications for Siva Raja, MD, PhD.
(Disclaimer: This search is powered by PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. PubMed is a third-party website with no affiliation with Cleveland Clinic.)
Industry Relationships
Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists may collaborate with the pharmaceutical or medical device industries to help develop medical breakthroughs or provide medical expertise or education. Cleveland Clinic strives to make scientific advances that will benefit patient care and support outside relationships that promise public benefit. In order for the discoveries of Cleveland Clinic physicians' and scientists' laboratories and investigations to benefit the public, these discoveries must be commercialized in partnership with industry. As experts in their fields, Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists are often sought after by industry to consult, provide expertise and education.
To assure professional and commercial integrity in such matters, Cleveland Clinic maintains a program that reviews these collaborations and, when appropriate, puts measures in place to minimize bias that may result from ties to industry. Cleveland Clinic publicly discloses the names of companies when (i) its physicians/scientists receive $5,000 or more per year (or, in rare cases, equity or stock options) for speaking and consulting, (ii) its physicians/scientists serve as a fiduciary, (iii) its physicians/scientists receive or have the right to receive royalties or (iv) its physicians/ scientists hold any equity interest for the physician's/scientist's role as inventor, discoverer, developer, founder or consultant.* In publicly disclosing this information, Cleveland Clinic tries to provide information as accurately as possible about its physicians' and scientists' connections with industry.
As of 4/7/2022, Dr. Raja has reported the financial relationships with the companies listed below. In general, patients should feel free to contact their doctor about any of the relationships and how the relationships are overseen by Cleveland Clinic. To learn more about Cleveland Clinic's policies on collaborations with industry and innovation management, go to our Integrity in Innovation page.
Royalty Payments. Dr. Raja receives or has the right to receive royalty payments for inventions or discoveries commercialized through the companies shown below:
- ChromaCode, Inc.
Public Health Service-Reportable Financial Conflicts of Interest. Cleveland Clinic scientists and physicians engage in basic, translational and clinical research activities, working to solve health problems, enhance patient care and improve quality of life for patients. Interactions with industry are essential to bringing the researchers' discoveries to the public, but can present the potential for conflicts of interest related to their research activities. Click here to view a listing of instances where Cleveland Clinic has identified a Public Health Service (PHS)-Reportable Financial Conflict of Interest and has put measures in place to ensure that, to the extent possible, the design, conduct and reporting of the research is free from bias.
* Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists subscribe to the guidance presented in the PhRMA Code on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals and the AdvaMed Code of Ethics on Interactions with Health Care Professionals. As such, gifts of substantial value are generally prohibited.
224 Patient Satisfaction Reviews
The Patient Satisfaction Rating is an average of all responses to the care provider related questions shown below from our nationally-recognized Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Survey. Patients that are treated in outpatient or hospital environments may receive different surveys, and the volume of responses will vary by question.
Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score.
The comments are submitted by patients and reflect their views and opinions. The comments are not endorsed by and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cleveland Clinic.
| Overall | Star Ratings | |
|---|---|---|
| Explains | 4.8 | |
| Listens | 4.7 | |
| Courtesy, Respect & Concern | 4.9 | |
| Patient Rating of Doctor | 4.8 |
23 Patient Comments
© 2023 The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be altered, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, whether electronic, mechanical, by photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the Cleveland Clinic.
Reviewed on Apr 24, 2023
Dr. Raja is professional, knowledgeable, and compassionate In his communication and in his care towards me as a patient.
Reviewed on Mar 15, 2023
Wonderful communication with the fellow doctor as well as staff. Concerned, kind and professional care!
Reviewed on Mar 15, 2023
Definitely impressed and would recommend Dr.Raja wholeheartedly.
Reviewed on Mar 13, 2023
I was so impressed with Dr. Rama's "bedside" manner (especially for being a surgeon). I was so grateful for his kindness, the time he took to explain things to me and willingness to listen and try to get to the point of what is wrong with me. I'm so glad for this survey because I planned on writing in anyways. You can tell he is a great human outside of his profession. I'm very grateful Dr. Lichtin referred me to Dr. Raja.
Reviewed on Mar 8, 2023
We like Dr Raja. He was friendly and knowledgeable but there doesn't seem to be a sense of urgency. I understand that he is busy, but perhaps they need to get more places to do this procedure, or more Drs that do it.
Reviewed on Mar 6, 2023
Dr. Raja was not rushed during the appointment and put me at ease with his willingness to answer all my questions.
Reviewed on Feb 13, 2023
Dr.Raja spent a lot of time with me explaining everything, very much appreciated.
Reviewed on Feb 8, 2023
I drive 4 hours gladly to be a patient of Dr. Raja. He is outstanding and I am so thankful to have such an amazing surgeon
Reviewed on Dec 7, 2022
Contact with the doctor was very brief indeed.
Reviewed on Dec 5, 2022
Dr. Raja has a unique gift of being able to put you at ease, make you comfortable while also being an incredibly brilliant Doctor.
Reviewed on Nov 30, 2022
The whole care team is great, Dr. Raja Is the greatest ever.
Reviewed on Oct 31, 2022
Can't say enough good about Dr. Raja
Reviewed on Oct 5, 2022
I so appreciate Dr. Raja. After surgery, and then a surgical complication three weeks after surgery, the doctor is getting to know me and now understands how to communicate with me. I need ALL the details so I can process what to expect.
Reviewed on Sep 19, 2022
Dr Raja and staff are and have been exceptional in my health journey. I am so grateful. Thank you.
Reviewed on Aug 31, 2022
Dr. Raja Is compassionate, efficient, and effective. Along with his office staff, he follows the patient comes first. Therefore, the Scheduling process was simple and worry free. Dr. Raja and his team define Excellence.
Reviewed on Aug 29, 2022
Dr. Raja was very knowledgeable, professional, personable and attentive to my questions and concerns.
Reviewed on Aug 22, 2022
I understaffed the Doc is very busy and was just glad to get the appointment.Dr Raja and staff were very polite and certainly know their medical business.Looking forward to the procedure with confidence.Thanks to all of you
Reviewed on Jul 28, 2022
I think he is the best Dr. Around. He listens to what you have to say and thinks through all options that he has it won't work out best for you.
Reviewed on Jun 27, 2022
Dr. Raja and his PA both took the time to listen to my concerns and questions and provide me with the answers. Felt very comfortable with both of them.
Reviewed on Jun 27, 2022
Dr. Raja is a very skilled doctor and I feel I am in good hands. However during my last surgery at Cleveland Clinic wherein he and Dr. Schlenk performed surgery I needed to stay in the hospital for several days. They did an EXCELLENT surgically, but the aftercare in the hospital was HORRIBLE. I just hope and pray my upcoming procedure has no complications because I don't want to be admitted to stay at the hospital.
Reviewed on Jun 15, 2022
I 3 to 4 messages with Dr Rajas nurse and never received a call back.
Reviewed on Jun 13, 2022
Dr Rajais a wonderful doctor and person
Reviewed on Jun 1, 2022
Dr. Raja is knowledgeable and listened to my questions and concerns.