Our Mission
Apollo Surgery Center’s mission is to provide quality outpatient healthcare with respect to our patients, staff and community with positive outcomes in a safe and cost-effective manner.
Our Mission
Apollo Surgery Center’s mission is to provide quality outpatient healthcare with respect to our patients, staff and community with positive outcomes in a safe and cost-effective manner.
Our Vision
Apollo Surgery Center provides a convenient, safe and cost-effective alternative to inpatient surgery and hospital outpatient surgery by assuring optimal levels of patient care throughout pre‑operative, intra‑operative and post‑operative periods of the patient’s care.
Our Values
We provide a work environment based on teamwork, cooperation and continuous improvement. We encourage suggestions from employees, patients, physicians and all that come in contact with our facility.
Patients trust the experienced, highly trained specialists at Apollo Surgery Center for the treatment of digestive and hepatic diseases and disorders. Our team is comprised of five gastroenterologists. Our staff utilizes their expertise to serve our patients with comprehensive gastrointestinal procedures and treatments.
Dr. Vivaik Tyagi was trained in Internal Medicine in the U.S. at the University of New York in Brooklyn, New York. He concluded his final year of Internal Medicine as Chief Resident at Brooklyn VA Hospital in Brooklyn, New York. After completion of the GI fellowship program at SUNY Downstate New York, he proceeded to his fourth year of the Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopic Fellowship training in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. There, he refined his skills in endoscopic ultrasound and complex pancreatic and biliary interventions.
Dr. Tyagi has a special interest in the endoscopic treatment of benign and malignant tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. He has utilized his luminal stenting skills on difficult obstructive malignancies of the intestine, giving patients considerable relief and preventing transfers to tertiary centers. Dr. Tyagi’s artful application of endoscopic ultrasound and sophistication in pancreaticobiliary cannulation has indeed raised the standard of the local hospitals in Antelope Valley to that of the tertiary centers in Los Angeles.
Dr. Tyagi has a knack for developing a close rapport with patients. He devotes whatever time it takes to educate patients so they fully comprehend their medical problems. Dr. Tyagi is convinced that patients’ understanding and willingness to participate in a treatment strategy greatly enhances the healing process. He carries the distinction of having successfully performed the first endoscopic ultrasound-assisted cannulation of the common bile duct, which was not amenable to conventionally applied techniques. He was instrumental in bringing Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopy, Luminal Stenting for bowel obstructions from a tumor or benign disease, pancreatic pseudocyst drainage, Intra Luminal endoscopic suturing and recently, endoscopic treatment for reflux disease (TIF) to local hospitals.
Dr. Tyagi vigorously participates in activities of the hospital’s governance and currently is an active member of the executive committee at Antelope Valley Hospital. He has lived in the Antelope Valley with his family for over 13 years.
Dr. Perumalsamy was born and raised in India. After completing his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at Thanjavur Medical College in Tamil Nadu, India, he moved to the U.S. where he completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Coney Island Hospital in Brooklyn, New York. He proceeded to do his fellowship in Gastroenterology at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. He simultaneously completed his training in Clinical Hepatology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. He was the Chief Fellow during his training. Dr. Perumalsamy graduated in 2008 and started his practice in Lancaster, California.
Dr. Perumalsamy has served the Antelope Valley and Ridgecrest communities for the past 12 years. He specializes in advanced endoscopic procedures such as ERCP, Luminal Stenting and Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS). With his advanced hepatology training, he is particularly adept at treating liver diseases, including viral hepatitis (Hepatitis C and B), cirrhosis, fatty liver disease and pancreatic disorders. He also specializes in Inflammatory Bowel Disease, including Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease.
Dr. Perumalsamy manages and coordinates care for liver and pancreas transplant patients. He introduced a fecal transplant program in Antelope Valley. He was instrumental in introducing Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication (TIF) to local hospitals.
Dr. Perumalsamy is extremely friendly and easy to converse with. He takes the time and effort to educate his patients about their medical problems and go over treatment options with them. He is a strong patient advocate and considers their satisfaction his utmost priority.
Dr. Perumalsamy is affiliated with the Antelope Valley Hospital and Palmdale Regional Medical Center. He has served as the Chief of Medicine at Palmdale Regional Medical Center for the past 5 years.
Dr. Perumalsamy is an avid sports enthusiast and family man. During his free time, he enjoys hiking and traveling with his family.
Dr. Prithviraj Dharmaraja graduated from the University of Sri Lanka, Colombo in 1980. In 1982, he moved to the Bronx in New York, where he completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Our Lady of Mercy Medical Center. He completed his fellowship in Gastroenterology at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee in 1987.
Upon completion of his fellowship, Dr. D. moved with his family to Lancaster, California, where he has resided for the past 22 years. With over 25 years of experience, he continues to meet the gastroenterology needs of the Antelope Valley and Ridgecrest communities.
Dr. D. is board certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology and is an active member of the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. He is especially interested in GERD, colon polyps and the prevention of colon cancer.
Dr. D. appreciates his patients in the Antelope Valley and Ridgecrest communities for their trust in his care for their GI needs at Gastro Care Institute.
Dr. D. enjoys traveling and playing golf in his free time and hopes to visit more of his bucket list destinations in the near future.
Dr. Duminda Suraweera is a Southern California local who spent his childhood in Orange County. He attended UCLA and graduated Cum Laude with a degree in Biology. He obtained his medical degree from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. Subsequently he returned to California to complete his Internal Medicine Residency at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center in Sylmar, California. Upon completion of his residency, he was selected to be the Chief Resident and had numerous leadership roles in medical education, hospital administration and patient outreach.
Dr. Suraweera completed his Gastroenterology Fellowship training at the University of California Irvine where he rotated at both UC Irvine and Long Beach VA Medical Centers. There he had the opportunity to learn cutting-edge endoscopic techniques and in-depth management of Gastroenterology diseases. Dr. Suraweera also participated in leadership roles on the Patient Safety Committee where he advocated for continued improvements in healthcare delivery with a “patient first” emphasis, as well as in the Medical Student Clerkship Education Committee where he helped revamp the
third-year medical student curriculum.
Dr. Suraweera has participated in pioneering research throughout his medical education and career. He has published numerous articles in various scientific journals and has presented his work at professional conferences including the American College of Gastroenterology and Digestive Disease Week. He continues to have a strong interest in research.
Dr. Suraweera enjoys spending time with family and friends, as well as traveling and experiencing new adventures with his wife. His hobbies include hiking, camping and trying new types of food. He has a friendly personality and is a strong advocate for his patients.
Dr. Suraweera is excited to be joining Gastro Care Institute and looks forward to getting to know the Lancaster community.
Dr. Le was born and raised in Vietnam. He immigrated to Southern California in 2003 and graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a degree in biological science. After completing his Internal Medicine Residency at UCLA Olive View Medical Center, he served another year as a Chief Resident with responsibilities in training resident physicians and developing quality improvement projects to optimize patient care delivery.
Dr. Le finished his GI fellowship at the University of Minnesota where he gained experience in managing patients with complex pancreaticobiliary and liver diseases. He is passionate about colorectal cancer screening, inflammatory bowel disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and metabolic dysfunction associated liver diseases. Throughout his fellowship training in Minnesota, he participated in multiple quality improvement projects that increased the rate of colorectal cancer screening at the VA hospital in Minneapolis.
During his free time, Dr. Le enjoys watching and playing tennis and soccer. He also loves watching movies, reading novels and spending time with his family. As the newest member of Gastro Care Institute, he is very excited to work with the Lancaster community.
Welcome to our educational video library, featuring comprehensive insights into Anesthesiology and Gastroenterology. Discover the latest advancements in anesthetic techniques, patient safety and postoperative care, as well as deep dive into gastrointestinal health covering common disorders, diagnostic procedures and surgical interventions. Our videos, presented by leading experts, are designed to educate both healthcare professionals and individuals seeking to understand these critical medical fields.
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