Saral Mehra, MD, MBA, FACS
Associate Professor of Surgery (Otolaryngology)Cards
About
Titles
Associate Professor of Surgery (Otolaryngology)
Section Chief, Head and Neck Surgery, Otolaryngology Surgery; Director, Head and Neck Oncologic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship, Surgery
Biography
Dr. Saral Mehra serves as Chief of the Section of Head and Neck Surgery, Director of the Head and Neck Tumor Board, and the Fellowship Director for our Internationally renowned Advanced Training Program in Head and Neck Oncologic and Reconstructive Surgery. He has received teaching and clinical accolades from within the Institution and beyond, including the 2023 Yale Cancer Center Award for Excellence in Clinical Care (awarded to only one-two physicians a year). He is proud to be part of an incredible Head and Neck Tumor Center of Excellence at Yale delivering cutting edge multi-disciplinary care to patients throughout Connecticut and beyond.
Dr. Mehra’s clinical practice focuses on treating patients with Head and Neck, Salivary, and Thyroid diseases, particularly tumor and cancer. His expertise also includes advanced reconstruction and rehabilitation. He sees patients with all stages of cancer, from early stage to far advanced and recurrent cancers of the head and neck. He makes use of the latest in minimally invasive techniques such as transoral laser and robotic surgery. He also has special interest in minimally invasive diagnosis and treatment of salivary disease with use of salivary endoscopy.
His primary research interests are in measuring and improving the quality of life in patients being treated for head and neck cancers, as well as leveraging his Business education to perform Health Services research with the goal of measuring and thus improving the quality of care delivered to such patients.
Dr. Mehra has over 100 peer-reviewed publications, a number of book chapters, and regularly presents original research at National and International meetings. He is an active Member of the American Head and Neck Society.
Dr. Mehra earned his Medical Degree from Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City, and a Masters in Business Administration from Columbia Business School. He then went on to a residency in Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery at New York Presbyterian Hospital / Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He completed his training at Mt Sinai Beth Israel Medical Center with a highly coveted Fellowship in Head and Neck and Thyroid Cancer surgery, with further sub-specialization in complex reconstructive surgery including the use of free tissue transfer through state-of the art microvascular surgical techniques. During training, Dr. Mehra was awarded the Department’s research award twice, the Department’s teaching award at his graduation, and the Distinguished House Staff award from New York Hospital.
Appointments
Otolaryngology Surgery
Associate Professor on TermPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- Fellowship
- Mount Sinai Beth Israel Medical Center (2013)
- Residency
- New York Presbyterian Hospital (Columbia/Cornell) and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (2012)
- Internship
- New York Presbyterian Hospital (Columbia/Cornell) (2008)
- MBA
- Columbia Business School (2007)
- MD
- Columbia Medical School (2007)
- BS
- Queen's University (2002)
Research
Academic Achievements and Community Involvement
Clinical Care
Overview
Saral Mehra, MD, MBA, FACS, is a Yale Medicine surgeon who treats patients with head and neck cancers, sometimes performing complex microsurgeries that take many hours. When appropriate, he also uses the Da Vinci surgical robot and the laser to perform surgical tumor removal in hard-to-reach areas of the throat, with less morbidity than traditional approaches. In addition, he runs the salivary endoscopy program at Yale. Because of his widely recognized expertise, he treats patients with complex salivary disease who are sent to him from all over the state. Dr. Mehra provides minimally invasive treatment of salivary gland and duct problems, including salivary stones, using tiny scopes. He is able to perform these procedures without making any external incisions. “I use minimally invasive techniques for cancer and non-cancerous problems whenever possible, and I implement the latest in reconstructive surgery to optimize form and function,” he says.
Whatever problem he is treating, Dr. Mehra notes that be believes in spending time with patients to explain their condition and let them know that they are not alone is a key element in compassionate care. “When talking about a new diagnosis of cancer, I like to take the time to discuss the work-up, treatment, functional recovery and surveillance plan—this helps alleviate some of the fear of the unknown. It’s satisfying to look at the faces of a patient and their family when they go from being frightened of a new diagnosis to understanding the journey they are about to embark upon.”
Dr. Mehra says he enjoys being a physician for Yale Medicine because the practice has so many patients with complex head and neck tumors and patients who need reconstruction. “With high volume comes processes and systems that lead to better outcomes for patients,” he says.
He often works collaboratively as a member of a team that includes other surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, pathologists and radiologists, as well as nurses, therapists, social workers and patient coordinators. “For patients who are to undergo surgery, the consultations, meetings and case review are all preparation for the big event—surgery—where, again, I put a team together to get the best patient outcomes,” he says.
Dr. Mehra is an Associate Professor of Surgery (Otolaryngology), and Chief of the Section of Head and Neck Surgery within the Division of Otolaryngology at Yale School of Medicine. He is also the Director of the Fellowship in Head and Neck Oncologic and Reconstructive Surgery, where he and his team of surgeons select one surgeon each year to train into their specialty, with trainees leading successful practices across the United States and world.
In addition to cancer and reconstructive surgery, he researches ways to improve the process of delivering cancer care. “This is important work, because we know that whenever we can improve upon the ways that we deliver cancer care, the better our outcomes will be,” he says.
Clinical Specialties
Fact Sheets
Tracheostomy
Learn More on Yale MedicineThroat Cancer
Learn More on Yale MedicineHead and Neck Cancer
Learn More on Yale MedicineDysphagia (Difficulty Swallowing)
Learn More on Yale Medicine
Board Certifications
Otolaryngology
- Certification Organization
- AB of Otolaryngology
- Original Certification Date
- 2013
Yale Medicine News
Links & Media
News
- May 15, 2024
Educators in academic surgery on balancing education with other responsibilities
- May 15, 2024
Educators in academic surgery on giving and receiving feedback
- May 15, 2024
Educators in academic surgery on managing expectations for surgery clerkship
- May 02, 2024
Yale Surgeons Recognized by Connecticut Magazine's 2024 “Top Doctors” List