I've had two surgeries with Dr Zoland and he is indeed a great surgeon. However, beware when paying out of pocket and dealing with their office manager. You must pay the full fee prior to surgery ($8K in my case) and unlike most out-of-network providers, they do not submit to insurance on your behalf, making it very difficult to get reimbursed. If the surgery is at an in-network facility, make sure they have you sign the standard notice and consent form for the No Surprise Act that went into effect in 2022 and get everything in writing. They failed to provide me with this form and information. They provided me with the letter of medical necessity and post op notes, yet months later their office manager tried to say that the surgery was elective. I certainly didn't elect to have abdominal adhesions repaired. read more

OUTSTANDING surgeon: complex hernia repair This review -- and endorsement! -- is for Dr. Mark Zoland, who recently performed a complicated and relatively high-risk triple hernia repair for me. I am writing this both as a patient, and as an executive in the healthcare space. The headline and summary: Dr. Zoland's surgical acumen, and his patient care, were truly outstanding. First: my procedure was substantially more complex than I -- and my primary care physician -- thought it would be. While I presented with a fairly textbook inguinal hernia, it turns out that I also had femoral and obturator hernias. The obturator in particular is quite rare, only .7%-1% of all diagnosed hernias. And as reported in a 2022 NIH study, the "obturator hernia is a rare variation of abdominal hernias that cause significant morbidity and mortality." That will get one's attention... The complexity of this set of repairs required not just surgical excellence but also a deep understanding of abdominal and pelvic anatomy. Dr. Zoland demonstrated an exceptional grasp of these intricacies; I've been through the images taken during the procedure. I am pleased to report that the doctor's care and diligence yielded a complete success. Dr. Zoland's diagnostic process is also impressive. During our initial consultation, he engaged in a meticulous evaluation, blending a series of nuanced questions with a thorough yet gentle physical examination. Following a CT scan, his ability to correlate clinical findings with imaging was particularly noteworthy. Rather than simply depend on the radiologist report, Dr. Zoland personally reviewed my imaging studies (within hours of having them completed), and provided an integrated and comprehensive analysis. This holistic approach to patient evaluation underscores his commitment to personalized care, and to precision in surgical planning. Dr. Zoland took the time to walk through that surgical planning in detail, ranging from the operative plan - and the contingency plan to go open versus laparoscopic, which seemed highly likely based on the imaging study -- to the choice of an ASC or an OR in the hospital. Given the complexity and inherent risk of my procedure, he choose the latter, which also ended up being a good experience. And as it turns out, he was thankfully able to complete the procedure laparoscopically. Beyond his substantial technical prowess, Dr. Zoland's patient manner was exemplary. Given my healthcare experience, I likely had many more questions than the average patient, up to and including a desire to walk through the CT imaging as well as post-surgical photos - which he very willingly did for me. He exhibited a combination of kindness, empathy, and patience. His warm and compassionate demeanor, coupled with clear and thorough communication, was an important positive element in my pre- and post-operative experience. A final note: Dr. Zoland's office staff was also exceptional. I dealt with Mayra at the front desk: she was as friendly as she was responsive, and worked with me to on everything from navigating my insurance and the hospital requirements to required follow-ups at each step of the process. I highly recommend Dr. Zoland to anyone seeking a skilled and caring surgeon, one who connects with his patients with respect. His blend of surgical excellence, diagnostic acumen, and patient-centered approach sets a high standard. read more

This surgeon took me from hiking and jogging, but with some nagging pain concerns, to completely bedridden! In short, a horrifying surgery that has left me with constant and unrelenting pain and disability. read more

Dr. Zoland was amazing. He repaired my femoral hernia and 8 years later it is doing great. I definitely need to stretch and massage a little in that area to keep it limber, but I can do everything I could do before. (Not that I've been doing much skydiving, rock climbing, weight lifting, or aerial silks since I had my baby, but it's not the hernia repair holding me back!) Also I have NO SCAR. I mean, none. There is a very very faint line, really only visible if i stretch the skin tight. And that was for a 2 inch incision. Why don't all doctors do such lovely closures? It's not like anyone but my husband would ever see it, but still! It's pretty personal area and it's nice not to have an ugly scar. Not only that, after the surgery, when I was feeling very nervous about the length of the recovery and emailing him lots of questions about what exactly he did, and why, Dr. Zoland took time to answer all of my emails. I'm a massage therapist, so I knew just enough abdominal anatomy to ask lots of annoying questions! When I still wasn't quite understanding, he invited me for an hour long private tutorial in his office and basically gave me the full lecture on the surgery that he gives his students, complete with slides and everything. He never talked down to me as a massage therapist like most doctors do, and did everything in his power to help me fully understand what was going on in my body. It was priceless. He really, truly, cares. My only complaint is that he NO LONGER ACCEPTS ANY INSURANCE!!!! I have an umbilical hernia from my pregnancy and of course wanted Dr. Z to do the repair, but his office informed me that he only accepts out of pocket. I know it's not his fault that the insurance companies make the billing so incredibly awful that all the good docs don't want to deal with it, but I was still super disappointed, and haven't had the surgery done yet cause I don't trust anyone else. More power to him, I'm sure there are enough rich old dudes with hernias on the upper east side to pay up front for the best surgeon around. read more

This is my second surgery with Dr. Zoland (he operated with Dr. Srino Bharam back in December 2019) on repairing a torn adductor muscle and two hernias on my right side. This time, he repaired a hernia on my left side and my confidence in him only grows. His bedside manner is best in class, always taking the time to explain what he sees, what he plans to do, and address and questions or concerns. I've felt great and recovered well in both instances with minimal scarring. I can't recommend him enough for such delicate operations. read more

I had a very similar experience to Sid P., and he may be the reason I wound up at Dr. Zoland. In 2012 I began developing pain just above my groin on both my right and left side, but due to some portion of rest, stubbornness, and refusal to accept that I may be injured, I ignored the pain and attempted (but ultimately failed) to go on through my normal routine. Flash forward to the end of 2013. I made an appointment with a local sports medicine physician in Washington, DC, Dr. Rajeev Pandarinath, who recognized I may have a sports hernia and referred me to Dr. Zoland in NY based on the experience of a recent patient. Dr. Zoland was incredible. I have never had as patient or knowledgable a doctor willing to answer any question, explain any process, and detail every possible option, spending more time with a single patient than could reasonably be expected from the initial appointment through followup after surgery. Even his office was highly professional and organized, wiling to work with me as Dr. Zoland is not covered by my insurance. I hope no one has to experience a sports hernia (or any injury), but if life throws one their way I hope they are fortunate enough to find their way to his care. read more

There's very little information on sports hernias out there. And very few doctors who even know what they are. One of the top ortho surgeons here in NYC pointed me in Dr Zoland's direction -- i'd already known his name as he's one of the few surgeons in the country who has the expertise. From my initial visit through post-op, he's been nothing short of amazing. Attentive and happy to answer questions. Even my Jewish mother is impressed. Yes, she made sure i invited her on the initial visits. Yes, i know i'm in my 30s. Surgery went smooth. Scarring minimal. Feeling great. His office staff are great as well, very helpful with billing and dealing with insurance issues (sports hernias are not generally covered). Genuinely hope no one has to deal with a sports hernia, but if you do, he's your guy. read more

From start to finish Dr Zoland walked me through the process of repairing my three hernias and the recuperation process. His professionalism and bedside manner are second to none, as a matter of fact I felt like family. I have returned to the gym as if I never had a problem. Do not hesitate seeing Dr Zoland you will not be disappointed. read more

This will most likely be the only review I ever write on yelp. After three different doctors from the very best hospitals, three physical therapists and four years of pain I met Dr. Zoland. He quickly diagnosed me with a sports hernia and two other inguinal hernias. He was patient, never rushed me and was exceedingly thorough and kind. As a surgeon and a person he was to me, the best of the best. I really wouldn't want to go anywhere else for such a specialized procedure and I am glad I didn't. His office staff was a good hearted bunch and made the visits fun. I had to pay some money out of pocket, but after running nine miles and windsurfing for an hour today I realize my choice of Dr. Zoland was one of my wisest decisions. Peace out. read more

I managed to tear the lower muscles in my rectus abdominis, displace / injure my aponeurotic plate and tear my Adductor Longus. A pretty excruciating injury that left me with significant pain in the entire pelvic region, unable to lift my leg and unable to control lateral movement in my leg. I was able to get an appointment with Dr. Zoland almost immediately and, like other people who wrote a review here, I could not be happier with my experience. Dr. Zoland is really on the cutting edge of what is broadly described as "Sports Hernia" medicine. His willingness to explain every detail, answer every question and accurately identify my issues was incredible. He was honestly interested in helping me and seemed truly fascinated by the medicine that he practices. Dr. Zoland surgically repaired my injury and after about 2 months I was able to start exercising again and after an additional month or so of physical therapy I was able to start playing basketball and other sports. For reference, I am in my late 20s and still play sports in leagues around New York City fairly competitively. For anyone with similar injuries, located anywhere in the USA, I would emphatically recommend seeing Dr. Zoland. read more

Do not go to Dr Zoland if you have a sports hernia or need pelvic floor repair. I had bilateral surgery last year I traveled from Chicago to NY knowing that the surgery will fix my problem but instead it created more. Dr Zoland put mesh over the rectus and it created nerve problems which Meyers from Philadelphia repaired 2 weeks ago. I knew Zoland's repair did not work weeks after surgery. I called him after one year after I had surgery with Meyers and he said that he sis not used mesh,and clearly on my post op report from Meyers it says that he removed all the mesh from previous surgery. Bottom line is if you are reading this you are in a lot of pain and you do not have this surgery twice,please avoid Zoland. Before I had surgery with him told me he will not use mesh which he did. God bless read more

This is a review of "Deciphering Groin and Pelvic Pain." Doctors Zoland has written a masterpiece about athletic pubalgia/sports hernia, an injury that has been inadequately studied and more importantly under recognized by both doctors and patients. Doctor Zoland writes about this complex disorder in a clear and succinct manner, utilizing the most up to date information and research and his own extensive experience treating groin pain. The discussion is well organized according to the different causes of pelvic/groin pain including sportshernia/athletic pubalgia, adductor longus patholgy, nerve entrapment, hip problems and others. He comprehensively describes the complicated anatomy of the region, the causes of the injury and how to diagnose it, including the many pitfalls. While still remaining succinct, he describes some of the nuanced anatomic, radiographic and clinical features of each disorder based on his own experience that cannot easily be found elsewhere. The written text is supported by a combination of MRI examinations with accompanying illustratiions that help to explain the MRI findings and the non radiologist to understand the MRIs. Dr. Zoland uniquely manages to present the information in a fashion that will be of great value to clinicians diagnosing and treating groin pain, but also in a way that it is understandable for patients. I consider this book to be necessary reading for general surgeons, sports medicine doctors and any patient suffering with groin pain. read more

In the spring of 2014, I found myself 3 hernia tears and I didn't like the options. I had seen 3 different surgeons and all wanted to operate on one tear at a time with a month long recovery. Now understand, I own a home improvement business where I lift a lot of heavy loads and downtime is lost profits. Obviously I wasn't anxious to take this route. I was referred to Dr. Zoland after months of excruciating pain. He saw me most immediately and fast tacked my operation to get me out of pain. Everybody in the facility was warm and gracious. I couldn't have been more comfortable despite a small amount of pre-op anxiety. Dr. Zoland was thorough in explaining everything and didn't even mind going over different concerns of mine multiple times. Needless to say the procedure went smooth and by the numbers. Afterwards, we even got a good laugh together over how massive the tears were from me waiting so long to deal with them. "Next time, Adam, maybe we won't wait so long..." I still couldn't believe it when he reminded me not to work for 2 weeks! Guess what! I was back at work, lifting bags of concrete and stacks of drywall in 2 weeks with absolutely no problem. How happy am I with Dr. Zoland? My wife went to him last year to have her hernias dealt with. Now she has some serious operation anxiety from the hard birth of our 2nd child but Dr. Zoland did what nobody else could do. Calm her and get her all sorted out. Again, the operation went smooth and easy then she was back at work and her gym routine in 2 weeks. That's all I can add. This doctor delivers on his word and I would recommend him to anyone who asks. read more

I had suffered from persistent groin pain for 3 years. To make a long story short, it was misdiagnosed repeatedly because it is a very tricky problem and there only a handful of specialists in the entire nation. There are a lot of doctors who claim they treat sports hernias but not very many are specialists. Dr. Zoland is one of the few sports hernia specialists in the nation and solved my problem. I am pain free after 3 years of misdiagnosis and frustration. I live in Washington, DC and came all the way to NYC to see Dr. Zoland on the advice of a briliant physician I had in DC who recommended going out of state. This brilliant doctor I saw in DC (Dr. Rajeev Pandarinath) was actually a specialist in different areas and I was seeing him for a shoulder problem. When I mentioned my groin pain, he suggested that perhaps it was a sports hernia and that although he's not a specialist I should go see one. However, the few doctors who claimed they treated sports hernias in my area didn't know what to tell me and one of them suggested risky/unproven/unnecessary treatments because they were not certain I had a sports hernia. When I went back to Dr. Pandarinath and told him I was ready to give up or try one of these treatments, he told me not to try the risky/unnecessary treatments and recommended going out of state to see one of the few sports hernia specialists in the US. I decided to see Dr. Zoland and after he examined me he determined I probably had a sports hernia even though it didnt show up on the MRI (it often doesn't). He recommended the surgery, which I did and it cured the problem. He was very polite, straight to the point and was great at explaining the more complicated aspects of my problem. I can't recommend him highly enough. Although he treats professional athletes, he takes great pleasure/pride in treating less serious athletes and gave me back something I valued greatly in my life. I was desperate and it didn't seem like anyone could figure out what was going on and Dr. Zoland cured me. I'm very grateful and I still can't believe I'm pain free. I can go back to serious running/sports and I can't believe I was ready to just give up. Sometimes life works out and I'm glad there are great doctors who don't bullshit me. read more

Went to Dr Zoland for Bi-lateral sports hernia surgery. The surgery went perfect and I am now 100% recovered. Thanks to Dr Zoland for the amazing job!!!! He has been supportive throughout the entire time I was dealing with this injury and beyond. read more

I know many people who have had hernia, sports hernia, and gallbladder surgery with Dr. Zoland. Friends and family, including my father (groin hernia surgery). He is always attentive and caring, both before and after surgery. I trust him to do the "right thing," even if that involves suggesting that someone does not need a procedure. I recommend him highly. read more

I am an orthopedic surgeon and Dr. Zoland performed sports hernia surgery on both of my hips. I feel great now and I am back to all of my sports at a high level. Not only is he a skilled surgeon, but he also has a great bedside manner! read more

Operated on my 16 year old son and treated him like his own. Very compassionate and thorough answering questions and explaining procedure. Very calming and reassuring to the entire family. Great follow up and care! read more

I highly recommend Dr. Zoland as a surgeon. I saw him after several months of deep groin pain which was not improving. I was referred to him by a co-worker who had worked with Dr. Zoland. Office staff was helpful and clearly explained details of the initial appointment. Dr. Zoland himself spent a long time discussing my injury, reviewing my MRIs, and clearly describing the possible surgical procedure for sports hernia repair. He was professional and detail oriented. As a medical professional myself, I felt that he was detailed and clear in his explanations. He did not seem rushed during the appointment which was a welcome experience in a hyper-speed medical world. The office staff was also fantastic - knowledgeable and courteous with every phone call and nuance of the scheduling process both office and surgical. The surgery itself provided almost immediate pain relief to the constant deep pain I had been experiencing. The scar is minimal and the healing process went smoothly. The detailed physical therapy instructions for post-operative made it simple to complete rehab and recovery from a distance. Now a little over 6 months out from surgery, I am now back to physical activity, running and otherwise which I was not sure was going to be possible. I am very grateful to Dr. Zoland. read more

Dr. Zoland is really an incedible doctor. He took an unbelievable amount of time with me to explain what was going on, followed-up with me multiple times after the surgery and did a brilliant job fixing my inguinial and sports hernias as well as doing a partial release on my adductors. I was very lucky to have been referred to Dr. Zoland and the surgery has really changed my life. read more

I, an engineer and detail person, interviewed various surgeons to repair a hernia. Dr. Zoland was the only one who took the time to fully explain his method of repair and upon my request, drew on paper the surgical steps that he would use and explained the technical reasons why his approach would be a permanent repair and not temporary as friends of mine experienced with their hernia repairs. After 3 years, my repair is permanent. Dr. Zoland is thorough and is the best. read more

I have been battling deep groin pain during certain movements for nearly 3 years. I tried physical therapy, injections & even had a different surgeon repair my labrum as he was certain that was the cause of my pain. I was seeing a different surgeon in NY (Dr Anil Ranawat) to try to find a solution for my discomfort. Dr Ranawat referred me to Dr Zoland... what a breath of fresh air when meeting him. Extremely personal and knowledgeable, he spent nearly 90 minutes with me during our first appointment reviewing symptoms and my MRIs and CT Scan. He came up with a plan that resulted in repairing 4 hernias that other Dr's told me I didn't have. I am 2 weeks post surgery and feel better than have have in 3 years. Thank you to Dr Zoland and his team for helping me come up with a solution. Looking forward to playing golf with my son again! I would refer anyone to his office, especially those that may be frustrated with lack of answers from other medical professionals. read more