Harsha Vittal, M.D.

Dr. Harsha Vittal is board certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology. He completed a residency in internal medicine from the University of Nevada, Reno where he was selected as Outstanding Resident of the Year.

Dr. Vittal completed a Gastroenterology and Hepatology fellowship at the University of Texas Medical Branch. He completed an advanced therapeutic endoscopy fellowship at the Maine Medical Center specializing in ERCP, Endoscopic Mucosal Resection, and stent placement throughout the gastrointestinal tract. Furthermore, he is trained in other advanced endoscopic procedures such as Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) and endoscopic closure of fistula.

He has authored or co-authored numerous articles and abstracts published in well-respected, peer-reviewed journals.

Dr. Vittal's advanced training allows him to perform the most advanced endoscopic procedures in the San Jose area.

Published Articles

Changes in the gastric enteric nervous system and muscle: a case report on two patients with diabetic gastroparesis.
Pasricha PJ, Pehlivanov ND, Gomez G, Vittal H, Lurken MS, Farrugia G.
BMC Gastroenterol. 2008 May 30;8:21.

Large-diameter biliary orifice balloon dilation to aid in endoscopic bile duct stone removal: a multicenter series.
Attasaranya S, Cheon YK, Vittal H, Howell DA, Lehman GA.
Gastrointest Endosc. 2008 Jun;67(7):1046-52. Epub 2008 Feb 21.

Mechanisms of disease: the pathological basis of gastroparesis--a review of experimental and clinical studies.
Vittal H, Farrugia G, Gomez G, Pasricha PJ.
Nat Clin Pract Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2007 Jun;4(6):336-46. Review.

Botulinum toxin for gastrointestinal disorders: therapy and mechanisms.
Vittal H, Pasricha PF.
Neurotox Res. 2006 Apr;9(2-3):149-59. Review.

Reduced stem cell factor links smooth myopathy and loss of interstitial cells of cajal in murine diabetic gastroparesis.
Horváth VJ, Vittal H, Lörincz A, Chen H, Almeida-Porada G, Redelman D, Ordög T.
Gastroenterology. 2006 Mar;130(3):759-70.

Endoscopic bubble: Can it bust the obesity bubble?
Vittal H, Raju GS.
Gastroenterology. 2005 Sep;129(3):1130-2.

Reduced insulin and IGF-I signaling, not hyperglycemia, underlies the diabetes-associated depletion of interstitial cells of Cajal in the murine stomach.
Horváth VJ, Vittal H, Ordög T.
Diabetes. 2005 May;54(5):1528-33.

Oral Presentations

Neuropathological and Genomic Changes in the Stomach of Patients with Human Diabetic Gastroparesis.
Vittal H, Farrugia G, Pehlivanov N, Lurken M, Gomez G, Pasricha PJ. Digestive Disease Week. May 2006

Video Presentations

Failed Endoscopic Closure of a Surgical Choledochoduodenostomy as Treatment for Refractory Sump Syndrome.
Howell DA, Vittal H. Digestive Disease Week. May 2007.

Pneumatic Dilation for Achalasia.
Vittal H, Chaya C. The DAVE Project. April 2006.

Abstracts

ERCP Evaluation and Treatment for Pancreaticobiliary Complications Following Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PDE/Whipple’s Resection).
Vittal H, Howell DA, Lawrence C, et. al. Digestive Disease Week. May 2007.

Mechanisms of Occlusion of Uncoated Self-Expanding Metal Stents (SEMS): Final Results of a Multi-Center Comparative Study.
Vittal H, Howell DA, et al. Digestive Disease Week. May 2007.

ERCP Management of the Pancreatic Sphincter in SOD Type II Patients: Clinical Outcome of Staged Sphincterotomy.
Delenick MB, Vittal H, Howell DA, et al. Digestive Disease Week. May 2007.

Endocscopic Closure of Chronic Cervical Esophageal Fistulas: Initial Experience.
Howell DA, Lowe BJ, Vittal H, et al. Digestive Disease Week. May 2007.

Immediate Tissue Diagnosis During ERCP Using a New Simple Forceps Biopsy Cytologic Preparation: Technique, Yield and Outcome.
Howell DA, Loew BJ, Vittal H, et al. Digestive Disease Week. May 2007.

Enteral Stent Placement for Gastric Outlet Obstruction: Are Outcomes Improved by Endoscopic Reintervention (ERI).
Lowe BJ, Howell DA, Vittal H, et al. Digestive Disease Week. May 2007.

Large-Diameter Papillary Balloon Dilation to Aid in Endoscopic Bile Duct Stone Removal. A Multicenter Series.
Attasaranya S, Cheon YK, Vittal H, McHenry L, Sherman S, Watkins J, Fogel E, et al. Digestive Disease Week. May 2007.

Neuropathological and Genomic Changes in the Stomach of Patients with Human Diabetic Gastroparesis.
Vittal H, Farrugia G, Pehlivanov N, Lurken M, Gomez G, Pasricha PJ. Gastroenterology 130(2): A-245, 2006.

The APRI is a good predictor of fibrosis in HCV, and may be enhanced by the insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR). A prospective study.
Snyder N, Finlay D, Hewlett A, Vittal H, Moparty B, Xiao S, Lau D, Soloway R, Petersen J. American Journal of Gastroenterology 99(10): S100-101, 2004.

Stimulation of stem cell factor (SCF) expression by insulin or insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) is required for the long-term maintenance of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC).
Horváth V, Vittal H, Redelman D, Almeida-Porada G, Ördög T. Gastroenterology 126(2): A-102, 2004.

Role of insulin, insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) and glucose in the long-term maintenance of Kit expression by interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC).
Ördög T, Vittal H, Sanders K. Gastroenterology 124(4): A-63, 2003.

Immunohistochemical analysis of insulin receptor (IR), insulin-like growth factor-I receptor (IGF-IR) and stem cell factor (SCF) expression in the tunica muscularis of the murine colon and small intestine.
Vittal H, Ördög T, Sanders K. Poster Presentation. Regional American College of Physicians Scientific Meeting, Las Vegas, NV. January 2002.

Immunohistochemical analysis of insulin receptor (IR), insulin-like growth factor-I receptor (IGF-IR) and stem cell factor (SCF) expression patterns in murine gastric tunica muscularis.
Vittal H, Ördög T, Sanders K. American Journal of Gastroenterology 96(9): S78-79, 2001