Endometriosis Excision Surgeon

Dr. Andrea Vidali

New York, New York (also operates in New Jersey and Florida)

Synopsis

One of the most publicly active endo excision surgeons in the country, with a reputation that draws patients from around the world and a patient record that deserves a careful read

Dr. Vidali has built one of the most visible presences in the endometriosis space, with over 25 years focused specifically on excision surgery, a 176,000-follower Instagram account, co-founding The Endometriosis Summit, and a practice that regularly treats complex multi-organ cases that other surgeons have declined. The volume of deeply positive patient accounts is real and spans years and platforms. Women describe him as the surgeon who finally believed them, finally found disease that had been missed, and gave them their lives back.

He is also a surgeon with a significant public profile and a vocal online presence, and the patient feedback record contains legitimate concerns alongside the positive accounts. Consultation experiences have been described as rushed in multiple independent accounts. Office communication is a recurring friction point. There is one serious account involving a referral to a practitioner who caused documented harm. None of this necessarily disqualifies him for any individual patient, and none of it changes the picture of a surgeon who is deeply committed to endometriosis and capable of complex work. But this directory organizes information so patients can evaluate clearly, and on a profile this large and varied, that means presenting the full picture. Read the patient feedback section carefully before making a decision.

Endometriosis Focus

Endometriosis excision as a primary specialty for over 25 years, including complex multi-organ and extrapelvic cases

Dr. Vidali has focused on endometriosis excision surgery for over 25 years, combining this with training and practice in reproductive endocrinology and reproductive immunology. He is the founder of Endometriosis Surgical Specialists International (ESSI), a collaborative network of surgeons dedicated to advanced endometriosis, adenomyosis, fertility, and complex pelvic disease care. He co-founded The Endometriosis Summit, an annual conference that connects patients and practitioners in the endo space.

He is listed on iCareBetter as a Video-Vetted excision surgeon, their highest vetting level, and is listed on the End of Endo Project for bowel, urinary, and extrapelvic cases. Nancy's Nook confirms excision and fertility work. Treatment frequency data from Healthgrades and WebMD Care shows endometriosis and ovarian endometrioma treated at rates higher than most providers nationally.

His practice website describes him as an internationally recognized specialist who performs hundreds of excision surgeries annually, including cases involving the bowel, rectum, diaphragm, lungs, bladder, and abdominal wall. He has publicly stated his philosophy on early and complete excision: his position, described in multiple public articles, is that ablation is insufficient and that delaying thorough excision allows the disease to wire itself into the nervous system in ways that become progressively harder to treat.

Surgical Method

Robotic-assisted minimally invasive excision; complex multi-organ cases performed with a specialized surgical team

Dr. Vidali's stated and documented approach is excision only. His public writing explicitly rejects ablation as insufficient. His practice website describes robotic-assisted minimally invasive surgery as the primary modality. The End of Endo Project listing notes his partnership with a hepatobiliary surgeon, Dr. Joseph Raccuia, enabling hepatic, bowel, and bladder excisions. Patient accounts describe lesions being removed from the diaphragm, bladder, ureters, bowel, rectal wall, pelvic walls, abdominal wall, appendix, and nerves in single procedures. One patient account describes a 5.5-hour surgery that began as a planned two-hour case after undetected stage IV disease was found. The End of Endo Project also notes his ability to perform the Osada procedure, a uterine-preserving surgery for adenomyosis, in selected cases, and ultrasound-guided nerve blocks.

Other Areas of Specialty

Reproductive endocrinology, reproductive immunology, and fertility preservation

Dr. Vidali completed a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. His practice explicitly combines endometriosis excision with fertility care, and a stated priority across his public materials is fertility preservation during surgery. He is the founder and principal clinician-scientist of Braverman Reproductive Immunology (BRI) and the founder of Pregmune, described as an immunology-based testing platform for reproductive failure. He has a specific stated interest in what he calls "silent endometriosis" in patients with recurrent pregnancy loss or implantation failure, including after failed IVF. The End of Endo Project lists him for adenomyosis care including the Osada procedure for uterine preservation.

Multidisciplinary Approach

Dedicated surgical team including colorectal, urological, and thoracic surgeons; refers to pelvic floor PT and pain specialists

Dr. Vidali operates with a named multi-surgeon team at ESSI. For complex cases, his documented collaborating surgeons include Dr. Joseph Raccuia (general and hepatobiliary surgery), Dr. Yaniv Larish (urology), Dr. Madhu Bagaria, and Dr. Daniel Fernandez. In a public article about liver and diaphragm endometriosis, Dr. Vidali described his decision to bring Dr. Raccuia into liver-adjacent cases not because he cannot perform the work, but because operating together is faster, safer, and more precise.

Nancy's Nook patient accounts confirm this team model in practice. Multiple Nook reviewers describe waking from surgery to learn that colorectal, urological, or other specialists had been involved as their cases required. His practice website and ESSI materials describe his extended network as including pain management specialists, pelvic floor physical therapists, and mental health professionals who support patients through treatment. His iCareBetter listing notes holistic integration of targeted medical therapies alongside surgical excision.

Diagnosis Methods

Ultrasound and advanced MRI review; publicly advocates against relying on imaging alone to rule out disease

Dr. Vidali conducts in-office transvaginal ultrasound during consultations and is described in multiple patient accounts as highly skilled at identifying findings on imaging that had been missed elsewhere. One RateMDs reviewer described a consultation during which Dr. Vidali reviewed her MRI live, identified adenomyosis and possible residual disease within minutes of an ultrasound, and did so without dismissing the work of her prior surgical team. Multiple patient accounts describe arriving with imaging or prior surgical reports that had shown no findings, and having disease identified at this practice. The End of Endo Project notes his use of what is described as endometriosis mapping as part of his diagnostic and surgical planning process.

In his public writing, Dr. Vidali has taken a clear position on imaging limitations. His stated view is that endometriosis is frequently missed by standard imaging and that a negative ultrasound or MRI is not sufficient to rule out disease. He has also publicly described a neurocentric model of endometriosis pain, arguing that the disease recruits the nervous system and that central sensitization can persist even after lesions are removed. This framing informs his diagnostic approach to patients whose pain is disproportionate to visible disease, or whose pain has returned after excision.

Ask directly

  • What is your process for diagnosing endo in a patient who has never had surgery?
  • What does your endometriosis mapping process involve, and how does it differ from a standard pre-surgical MRI?

Educational Presence

One of the most active endo surgeons in public education; co-founder of The Endometriosis Summit; published in Fertility and Sterility

Dr. Vidali maintains one of the largest independent social media presences of any endometriosis surgeon in the United States. His Instagram account (@endometriosis_surgeon) has approximately 176,000 followers and 2,400 posts as of 2026. He is also active on TikTok (@andreavidalimd), Facebook (EndometriosisSurgeon), LinkedIn, and Reddit, where he posts under his own name and has responded directly to patient threads about his care. The content across these channels is surgeon-generated, not institution-produced, and covers excision philosophy, the neurocentric model of endo pain, fertility and immunology, and patient education.

His YouTube presence spans two channels: a personal channel (AndreaVidaliMD) and the ESSI channel (@essi.endometriosis), which hosts educational videos on endometriosis, infertility, IVF, and surgical philosophy. He has appeared at The Endometriosis Summit (which he co-founded with Dr. Sallie Sarrel) as a speaker and surgical educator, including leading cadaveric dissection labs. In November 2024, he appeared on a Vumedi physician education panel on abdominal wall endometriosis alongside Drs. Fogelson, Chung, Raccuia, Wasson, and Sarrel.

The ESSI website (internationalendo.com) hosts multiple substantive articles authored or co-authored by Dr. Vidali on the neurocentric model of endo pain, psychedelics and central sensitization, and extreme anatomy cases involving the liver and diaphragm. He has published an editorial in Fertility and Sterility (2023) arguing that endometriosis and recurrent pregnancy loss share an underlying immunological dysfunction. He is an ABOG board-certified OB/GYN and a member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM). Earlier in his career, Dr. Vidali held the Director of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility role at Hackensack University Medical Center and two directorships at Saint Vincent's Catholic Medical Center in New York. In 2001, he partnered with laparoscopic surgery pioneer Dr. Harry Reich, alongside Dr. C.Y. Liu and Dr. Tamer Seckin, to establish an advanced gynecologic surgical practice at St. Vincent's Hospital.

Patient Feedback

Patterns Across Patient Feedback


Positive pattern

Mixed or notable

Recurring concern

Across Healthgrades, RateMDs, Vitals, Nancy's Nook, Reddit, and Facebook, a substantial pattern of patients describe their surgery as life-changing, with significant pain reduction, functional recovery, and relief from symptoms that had not responded to prior treatment. Several accounts describe surgeries lasting four to five hours or more in which extensive disease was found and excised, including in locations missed by prior surgeons.

Patients consistently describe feeling believed during consultations and having their histories taken seriously, particularly those who arrived after years of dismissal or multiple prior surgeries that had not resolved symptoms. This pattern appears across review platforms and community sources spanning 2018 to 2026.

Multiple patient accounts describe disease found and excised in locations that prior surgeons had missed, including the diaphragm, flanks, abdominal wall, ureters, bladder, and large intestine. Several patients had been told their prior surgeries had addressed all disease. The pattern of finding additional disease at this practice is mentioned frequently enough across independent sources to be considered consistent.

Multiple accounts describe patients traveling from other states and countries specifically for this surgeon, including from Asia, Pakistan, North Carolina, Kentucky, and California. Several describe being told by other endo specialists that they would be in good hands with Dr. Vidali.

Several accounts describe post-operative care that went beyond what patients expected, including Dr. Vidali texting personally late at night when a patient had a medication reaction and visiting her in the hospital daily, having a parent record a video of surgical findings so the patient could review them after anesthesia wore off, and providing labeled photographs of the surgery on a flash drive. These accounts are from different patients across different years and are not contradicted by other sources.

The practice is out-of-network with most insurance plans. Multiple accounts note out-of-pocket costs ranging from approximately $11,000 to over $20,000 for surgery, with consult fees described as $600 to $900 or more. Some patients had significant insurance coverage; others paid largely out of pocket. The cost is a recurring theme across platforms and is noted as a barrier by multiple reviewers who ultimately chose a different surgeon for financial reasons.

Multiple independent accounts describe consultations that felt rushed. A 2024 Reddit thread includes a patient who reported a 3-minute physical exam and a 5-minute decision in her initial consultation, after which Dr. Vidali advised against surgery. She returned for a second consultation, at which he reviewed her MRI and reversed his recommendation, after which she had surgery. Dr. Vidali responded directly in that Reddit thread under his own account. A separate 2024 Reddit account describes a consultation call made on the wrong day, records not reviewed in advance, and the call lasting approximately 10 minutes. A 2026 Facebook account describes an in-person consultation in Miami where records had not been reviewed beforehand and no physical examination was conducted. These are accounts from multiple independent patients across different time periods and locations.

Office communication is a recurring concern across multiple platforms and years. Multiple reviewers across Reddit (2022), Nancy's Nook (2024, 2025), and Facebook (2026) report that the office does not reliably answer the phone, that most communication is email-based, and that post-operative appointments have been missed or inadequately rescheduled. Two Nook reviewers describe having to send strongly worded emails to reach the office after post-op calls were missed. One reviewer reported not being told what stage her endometriosis was at her post-op appointment and having to piece together surgical findings from her own pathology report. One patient account also describes Dr. Vidali bringing Dr. Bagaria into a post-operative appointment without informing the patient in advance, despite the patient having previously raised concerns about Dr. Bagaria's undisclosed involvement in her surgery. When questioned, the response was that the surgical team cannot be expected to introduce every member — despite the patient having been introduced to every other team member before the procedure. These concerns are consistent enough across independent accounts and time periods to be noted as a pattern.

Several reviewers note that consultations are conducted primarily by phone or telehealth, with the first in-person encounter sometimes occurring on the day of surgery. At least two separate accounts describe this as unusual or concerning. It is not described as harmful by these reviewers, but it is worth noting for patients who expect an in-person consultation before committing to surgery.

One 2025 Nancy's Nook account reports that the patient's surgical report listed mesh placement that never occurred. Dr. Vidali acknowledged this was a copy-paste error from another patient's report template when the reviewer asked about it. The reviewer shared this publicly as a general caution to always review your own surgical documentation. One account only.

One 2026 Facebook account reports paying for a phone consultation and a separate MRI review, having the imaging transferred electronically during the call, and then being told by Dr. Vidali that he had never received it. The same reviewer states Dr. Vidali threatened to take legal action over a negative review the patient subsequently posted. These claims are unverified and represent a single account. They are included because the allegation is specific and involves both a patient care concern and a professional conduct concern that patients may want to weigh.

One 2025 patient account describes coming to Dr. Vidali for a consultation after two failed surgeries, including a hysterectomy, with significant ongoing pain. Dr. Vidali told her that her symptoms were likely fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome and advised her never to have surgery again. She never had surgery with Dr. Vidali. Nine months later she traveled to another excision surgeon, had endometriosis removed, and reports feeling significantly better. 

One patient account describes returning to Dr. Vidali during recovery with new pains after surgery with him. He declined to perform an ultrasound, attributed the pain to the brain being overly sensitive to pain signals after surgery, and stated that his surgical work had been sufficiently thorough that she should not need any further surgery. No additional testing, medication, or follow-up plan was offered beyond a referral to therapy. One account only. For patients who experience new or ongoing pain after surgery with Dr. Vidali, it is worth asking directly what the process is for investigating post-surgical symptoms.

One 2026 Reddit account describes traveling from Pakistan for a consultation, being advised against surgery, and being referred to a naturopath in Orlando named Dr. Sangeeta Pati. The patient reports that this referral resulted in serious harm, including being prescribed high-dose steroids that caused secondary Cushing's disease. The patient is explicit that Dr. Vidali himself was honest about what surgery could and could not offer, and that the harm arose through the referral partner. The account is from a single patient, but the nature of the described harm is serious and the referral originated from this practice. Patients who are referred to providers outside the surgical team should confirm credentials and approach independently before proceeding.
Dr. Vidali's practice is out-of-network with most insurance plans. Consult and surgical costs are significant and vary by case. Some patients have had meaningful insurance coverage; others have paid primarily out of pocket. If cost or insurance is a factor in your decision, it is worth confirming your specific coverage before booking a consultation. The consultation itself has a fee. On the question of in-person consultation: if meeting your surgeon in person before surgery is important to you, confirm this directly with the office before booking, as consultations are frequently conducted by phone or telehealth.

Post-Surgical Care

Post-operative care documented across patient accounts; office communication in follow-up is a noted friction point

Patient accounts describe receiving a video recording of the surgical findings, narrated by Dr. Vidali in the operating room, and labeled photographs of excised tissue on a flash drive. Multiple accounts describe being seen for a post-operative appointment, though in at least two cases from different years, that appointment was conducted by phone and was described as rushed or incomplete. One reviewer reports not being told her endometriosis stage at her post-op appointment and having to read her pathology report herself to understand what had been found and where.

His iCareBetter profile notes that he uses progestins and IUDs as targeted medical therapies alongside excision and does not rely on GnRH agonists or antagonists. No public information was found on the standard post-operative follow-up schedule, how long patients are typically seen after surgery, or the practice's stated hormonal management approach for all cases.

Ask directly

  • Do you see patients personally at follow-up appointments, or does someone else from your team?
  • How soon after surgery is the first follow-up, and is it conducted in person or by phone?
  • For how long do you continue to see patients after surgery?
  • Do you recommend hormonal treatment or birth control after surgery, and what is your reasoning?

Philosophy and Fit

A neurocentric view of endometriosis pain; fertility preservation as a stated priority; advocates for early, thorough excision

Dr. Vidali has articulated a clear and detailed philosophy on endometriosis in his public writing. His central position is that endometriosis is a neuroinflammatory disease, not simply misplaced tissue, and that pain is built into a feedback loop running from estrogen-sensitive lesions through inflamed nerves into the spinal cord and brain. His stated reasoning for advocating early and complete excision is that the longer this circuit runs, the more permanently it becomes embedded. He has written: "Any surgeon who still equates 'lesion gone' with 'pain gone' is working from a 20-year-old model." He has also written about central sensitization as a possible explanation for patients whose pain is out of proportion to visible disease, or whose pain has persisted after excision.

He has stated publicly that he does not recommend surgery in all cases, and that when he advises against it, he is putting the patient's outcome first. He has framed this explicitly: "There will always be someone willing to take your money and operate. That has never been my philosophy." A 2024 Reddit thread documents a case where he advised against surgery at an initial consultation and then reversed that recommendation at a second appointment after reviewing the patient's MRI more thoroughly. His practice includes a self-pay program ("Excellence Program") and a commercial insurance pathway ("Pilot Program") for patients with out-of-network benefits.

Dr. Vidali operates a large and visible public platform, including social media accounts with a significant following, a podcast through The Endometriosis Summit, and regular engagement with patient communities including Reddit. At least two reviewers noted that the scale of his social media presence was initially a source of skepticism before they decided to proceed. This is patient-reported and not a clinical concern, but it is worth noting for patients who prefer a lower-profile practice environment.

Ask directly

  • What percentage of your surgical cases involve endometriosis?
  • Do you treat patients who want to preserve fertility, and how does that affect your surgical approach?
  • If adenomyosis is found during surgery, how do you handle that in a patient who wants to preserve fertility?

Sources

  1. drvidali.com - Dr. Vidali practice website
  2. internationalendo.com (ESSI) - Dr. Vidali surgeon profile
  3. ESSI - Nerve-centric endometriosis pain article
  4. ESSI - Psychedelics and pelvic pain / neurocentric endometriosis
  5. ESSI - Liver and diaphragm endometriosis with Dr. Raccuia
  6. iCareBetter - Dr. Vidali listing (Video-Vetted)
  7. End of Endo Project - Dr. Vidali directory listing
  8. Doximity - Credentials and publications
  9. FertilityIQ - Dr. Vidali patient ratings
  10. Instagram - @endometriosis_surgeon
  11. YouTube - ESSI Endometriosis channel
  12. YouTube - Dr. Vidali on endometriosis philosophy
  13. Reddit - u/AndreaVidaliMD (surgeon's personal account)
  14. Fertility and Sterility (2023) - Endometriosis and recurrent pregnancy loss editorial (PMID 36933642)
  15. New York Post (March 2026) - Patient endo diagnosis story
  16. Healthgrades - Treatment frequency data and patient reviews
  17. RateMDs - Patient reviews (57 reviews, 4.6/5)
  18. Vitals - Patient reviews
  19. Nancy's Nook - Excision and fertility work confirmed; patient community reviews (closed forum, not publicly linkable)
  20. Reddit r/Endo and r/endometriosis - Patient community accounts (multiple threads, 2018-2026)
  21. Facebook - Patient reviews from public posts (facebook.com/EndometriosisSurgeon)
  22. Patient accounts shared directly with Wulf Women
Submit Feedback

FAQ
Why did you make this directory?

Who you choose for your surgeon matters more than most people realize. The wrong surgeon can mean missed disease, unnecessary surgeries, and years of pain that didn't have to happen. This is what happened to me.

Finding the right one is not a guarantee, but can drastically improve the outcome of your surgery. This directory pulls together publicly available information and patient-reported patterns in one place, so you can walk into a consultation prepared.
Where did you find this information?

This directory was built using publicly available information from a wide range of sources, including surgeon websites, medical publications, advocacy resources, social media, and submissions from my social media community.

If they show on this list, it means a surface-level check confirmed endometriosis is a primary focus of their practice.. Once their name is linked to a profile, it means I have completed and published my deeper independent research on that surgeon.
How are surgeons selected?

Most OBGYNs are trained to do a lot of things: deliver babies, manage general gynecological care, perform routine surgeries. This is important work, but Endometriosis is a different skill set.

Endo can look different in every patient, hide in unexpected places, and requires specific training and a high volume of cases to recognize and remove well. A surgeon who splits their time across general obstetrics and gynecology is not the same as one who has made endometriosis and similar conditions the focus of their practice.

Every surgeon listed here publicly identifies endometriosis as a high focus of their work, and that has to be verifiable through public sources: their own website, a hospital profile, a professional directory, published interviews, or similar.

Can a surgeon be removed from the directory?

Surgeons are included on the list based on the criteria listed above.

Personal conduct, social media behavior, and online controversy are not criteria for inclusion or removal. The directory exists to help patients find skilled surgeons, not to weigh in on personality or public opinion.

A surgeon could be removed if I find a credible, documented pattern of patient safety concerns, loss of medical license, or conduct that directly impacts the quality or safety of patient care.
Why isn't my surgeon listed?

Absence from this directory doesn't mean a surgeon is unqualified. It means I either haven't found them yet, or couldn't find enough public information to confirm that endometriosis as a genuine focus of their practice. The directory is a living resource and will keep growing with your help.

Use the "submit feedback" button above to suggest a surgeon for review or share your experience with a surgeon.
Can I suggest a surgeon?

Yes, please! Use the "submit feedback" button above.

A submission is a request for consideration, not a guarantee of inclusion. Every surgeon goes through the same research process regardless of how they came to our attention, whether that's a patient suggestion, a surgeon submitting themselves, or my own research. The information found is the information published, good or bad.
I have a surgery coming up but the surgeon profile isn't ready!

Send me a message on Instagram or TikTok (@wulfwomen), I am happy to skip ahead and help research your surgeon before your surgery date. <3

If the surgeon you're looking for doesn't meet the criteria, I will let you know. If they do, I will create the full profile and publish it here on this page.

How often is this updated?

I plan to go through the list every three months and make updates. I hope to add feedback as I get it, but I am only one person and it may take some time.

What should I do if information in a profile is wrong?

Please let me know via the "submit feedback" button above.

I really appreciate all feedback and more eyes on this. I've worked very hard to make sure this is accurate, but there is always a chance something could slip through. I review all submissions and make corrections as quickly as I can.
There's no surgeon in my city or state!

Check out the surgeons in your neighboring states. Many them operate out of multiple locations.
How do you collect patient feedback?

Patient feedback is pulled from publicly available sources like reviews and community forums. Some feedback is submitted directly to me via the "submit feedback" button above.

I take this feedback and fold it into the summaries in the profiles, rather than including every review word for word.

Why are some profiles more detailed than others?

Profile depth reflects what's publicly available, not the quality of the surgeon. That said, a sparse profile is worth paying attention to. Surgeons who specialize in endometriosis tend to have a presence in the patient community. If a profile is thin on reviews and information, that's a sign to do more research and ask a ton of questions.
Is this directory AI-assisted?

Yes, and I'll be upfront about it. I could not have built this without AI.

I am doing the research on each surgeon, then asking AI to check the internet for search for additional public sources.

Then, I ask AI to help with the first draft of the profile content. I read it and fix it manually to make sure it's accurate based on my research.

Lastly, I ask AI to build the code for me to make the profiles look nice on the website.
How is this different from Nancy's Nook or iCareBetter?

I have the utmost respect for Nancy's Nook, she helped me find my specialist. I have had her page listed on my website for a year now, but noticed very few people are clicking the link I provided. The younger generations aren't using facebook as much as we used to and I wanted something easier to access for all ages.

I also wanted to provide a service that could pull information from all over the internet and make it easy to view in one place.

iCareBetter has great information, but much of the information on there is surgeon submitted or sponsored. The Wulf Women list is a place for all information to be found, regardless of where it came from.

Do you make money from this directory?

No. I will never accept payment from any surgeon listed here, and this directory does not generate income for me.

Who are you?

My name is Debrah (Deb) Stark. I'm an endo patient who learned the hard way how important specialty care is. I promised myself after my second surgery I would do everything I could to help other women navigate endometriosis care. My mission is to give women enough information to help them make the right medical decisions for themselves.

You can find me on TikTok and Instagram as @wulfwomen .

“For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.”
-Rudyard Kipling,The Jungle Book