Dr Kella


After his training, Dr Kella came to Urology San Antonio and performed the area's first robotic prostatectomy for prostate cancer and radical cystectomy for bladder cancer. He has performed over 2000 cases for prostate cancer, making him one of the most experienced surgeons in the nation. (Click here to learn about the importance of experience.) In 2009, 2010 and 2011, Dr Kella performed more robotic prostate surgeries than anyone else in Texas, according to Intuitive Surgical.  His routine is to perform 6 to 10 cases per week, with the same team at the same hospital. He is principal investigator on numerous clinical studies and has been involved in the study of many novel agents for prostate cancer including Provenge, Protox, ZD4054, and GVAX.  He has consulted for companies such as AMS, Cook Surgical, US HIFU, and Intuitive Surgical.


Education & Career 
Undergraduate:Stanford University, Stanford, California
Medical School:University of Texas Southwestern Medical, Dallas
Surgical Residency:Tufts New England Medicine Center, Boston
Urology Residency:Tufts New England Medicine Center, Boston
Board Certification:American Board of Urology, 2006
Academic Appointment:Clinical Assistant Professor, Division of Urology,
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Special Training:Fellowship in Oncology & Robotics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston
Private Practice:Since 2004


Honors and Achievements 
  • Dr. Naveen Kella has perfomed nearly 2,000 robotic radical prostatectomies. Each week, he completes 6-10 of these operations, making him one of the top ten highest volume robotic prostatectomy surgeons in the U.S.  
  • Director of Robotic Surgery at St. Luke's Baptist Hospital in San Antonio, TX
  • One of two surgeons invited by Intuitive Surgical to perform a robotic prostatectomy that was broadcast live to hundreds of urologists on the exhibit floor at the American Urological Association's 2010 Annual Meeting.
  • In 2009, Dr. Kella performed 330 robot-assisted procedures, more than any other urologist in Texas. 
  • Dr Kella was featured in NSIDE MD magazine's October 2007 issue. Read the article.
  • In 2004, Dr. Kella performed the first robotic prostate surgery in South Texas.
  • He co-authored the book chapter "Robotic Radical Prostatectomy" in the medical reference Atlas of the Prostate, third edition.
In the News
Browse the news stories that Dr. Naveen Kella has been privileged to take part in.
Patient Stories
Hearing from other patients about their situation can bring understanding and comfort. Read what a few of Dr. Naveen Kella's patients have shared.
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He is committed to making the patient experience as painless and as successful as possible.

In his spare time, he enjoys time with his family. playing sports, and working with new tech tools and gadgets.